PM Modi and visiting Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim held wide-ranging talks in New Delhi
In a significant boost to bilateral relations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim elevated the India-Malaysia relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during their wide-ranging talks in New Delhi on Tuesday. The discussions culminated in the signing of nine Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) across various sectors.
The agreements cover a broad spectrum of cooperation, including digital technologies, tourism, recruitment, employment, and worker repatriation. They also include collaborative efforts in Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine.
Additionally, India announced several key initiatives to strengthen ties:
- A ‘special allocation’ of 200,000 metric tons of white rice for Malaysia.
- The provision of 100 additional Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) slots for Malaysian nationals.
- The establishment of an Ayurveda Chair at University Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) and a Thiruvalluvar Chair of Indian Studies at the University of Malaya in Malaysia.
- Cooperation between startup ecosystems in both countries through the creation of an India-Malaysia Startup Alliance.
These measures reflect a deepening partnership between the two nations, aimed at enhancing mutual interests and fostering closer economic and cultural ties.
Malaysia is a key pillar of India’s ‘Act East’ policy and a valued partner in the Southeast Asian region. Both countries have strong historical and socio-cultural linkages with the bilateral relationship being elevated to the status of Enhanced Strategic Partnership in 2015 during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Malaysia in November 2015.
“A decade of Enhanced Strategic Partnership between India and Malaysia is being completed. And over the last two years, with the support of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, there has been new momentum and energy in our partnership. Today, we extensively discussed all areas of mutual cooperation,” said PM Modi after holding discussions with the Malaysian Prime Minister at the Hyderabad House.
The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues, including cooperation in ASEAN and Global South.
Earlier, Ibrahim, who arrived in New Delhi late Monday evening on a three-day visit – his first to India since taking office in November 2022 – received a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and also visited Raj Ghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
During his visit, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will participate in a roundtable meeting with several Indian industry leaders to advance economic cooperation between the two countries and also will also deliver a lecture titled ‘Towards a Rising Global South: Leveraging Malaysia-India Ties’ at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) on Tuesday evening.
“In 2023, Malaysia and India’s total trade reached RM 76.62 billion (USD 16.53 billion), with Malaysia enjoying a surplus of RM 15.89 billion (USD 3.43 billion). India was Malaysia’s largest importer of palm oil and palm oil-based products, importing RM 11.31 billion (USD 2.44 billion). Malaysia’s major imports from India included petroleum products (RM 6.62 billion or USD 1.44 billion) and agricultural products, including halal meat (RM5 .79 billion or USD 1.27 billion),” said a statement released by the Malaysian Foreign Ministry ahead of Ibrahim’s arrival in India.
Malaysia was also India’s third-largest trading partner among ASEAN Member States and the largest trading partner among the eight South Asian nations in 2023.
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