Brazilian MoD finalises MoUs with domestic firms for government-to-government exports

Brazil has exported the Guarani 6x6 amphibious vehicle, including to Lebanon and the Philippines. (Victor Manuel Saraiva Barreira)

The Secretariat of Defence Products (SEPROD) in the Brazilian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with state-owned companies Empresa de Projetos Aeroespaciais do Brasil (ALADA), Empresa Gerencial de Projetos Navais (EMGEPRON), and Indústria de Material Bélico do Brasil (IMBEL).

The agreements, signed on 7 April, authorise the three companies to conduct contracting activities on behalf of the Brazilian Federal State.

These MoUs are designed to expand legal security, ensuring contracts conform with domestic and foreign laws and regulations to prevent potential legal issues, and promote export of Brazilian defence technologies through a government-to-government model, according to the MoD.

The pacts regulate the participation of state-owned companies linked to the MoD in government-to-government sales, and are designed to strengthen the Brazilian defence industrial base and expand access to international markets, SEPROD said.

The agreements provide the legal security for these companies to facilitate defence sales to friendly governments, SEPROD Secretary Heraldo Luiz Rodrigues added. The intent is to stimulate and strengthen the export of Brazilian defence products, conferring institutional credibility to negotiations, Heraldo added.

Brazilian defence exports have increased in recent years, reaching USD1.02 billion of authorised exports in the first quarter of 2026, according to SEPROD. The figure suggests that Brazil could achieve another record year of defence export authorisations in 2026, Heraldo said.

Germany, Bulgaria, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Portugal are the five largest importers of Brazilian defence goods, the MoD said.