Brasilia, Dec 27 (IANS): Brazilian President Lula da Silva paid glowing tributes to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, recalling his contribution in setting up of IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) Dialogue Forum and the BRICS grouping.

"My condolences on the passing of my friend, former Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh. We were government contemporaries in the first decade of the 21st century and we worked together to grow relations between our countries and build a fairer world," the Brazilian President wrote on X on Thursday (early Friday, India time).

Conveying his heartfelt sympathy to the people of India, Lula recalled his interactions with the former PM which largely focussed on the issues of development in both countries.

"Singh participated in the creation of IBSA, bringing together Brazil, South Africa and India, and in the founding of BRICS. In 2012, when I was no longer president, we met in New Delhi and talked a lot about development, combating poverty and hunger, and cooperation in the Global South," he said.

In 2006, Manmohan Singh had called his visit to Brazil a "voyage of discovery" to explore the immense scope for expanding areas of cooperation between the two nations.

"We must endeavour and we shall be seeking to build a new international order which is both more equitable and more participatory developing countries. In that struggle, it is a great source of strength to us to have leaders of the eminence of President Lula. I thank you Mr. President for what you are," Dr Singh had commented then in praise of Lula.

In November 2012, when Lula was no longer President, the government led by Dr Singh had conferred the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development 2010 on the Brazillian leader.

"The India-Brazil relationship was transformed during the time that President Lula was at the helm of affairs in his country. For the two of us, however, the relationship was more than a series of agreements. We shared a belief that although our countries were separated by deep oceans, we were united by similar values, challenges and aspirations and that we were uniquely placed to work together for a better world. His ardent faith in the role and potential of IBSA was one manifestation of that vision," said Singh in his speech at the ceremony to honour Lula.