La Doctrine de Monroe

Nikolas Gvosdev flags Russia’s efforts at making inroads into the South American energy infrastructure market. I’m as struck by France’s inroads into the Brazilian weapons procurement market (via Jean-Dominique Merchet at Secret Défense):

According to Brazil’s official news agency Agencia Brasil, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are scheduled to sign a strategic cooperation agreement Monday during the Brazil-European Union summit in Rio de Janeiro. . . .

The agreement would include the transfer of technology that would allow Brazil to assemble 50 EC-725 Cougar helicopters, four conventional submarines and one submarine with nuclear capability as part of Brazil’s military modernization process, officials told Agencia Brasil.

According to Merchet, Brazil is also considering a purchase of French Rafale fighter jets, which has made the final cut — along with the F-18 and the Swedish Gripen — in the latest contract tender.

Interesting to note that, like India and China, Brazil now pulls technology transfer deals with domestic fabrication.

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