India-Malaysia Ties Taken Upward Swing Since Anwar Ibrahim Assumed Office: MEA

Secretary East in the Ministry of External Affairs Jaideep Mazumdar highlighted the significance of defence and security in India-Malaysia relations. During a media briefing in New Delhi, Mazumdar noted that the two Prime Ministers discussed cooperation in this sector, focusing on the compatibility of military equipment and how to collaborate on maintenance and extending the service life of such equipment.

New Delhi: Secretary East in the Ministry of External Affairs Jaideep Mazumdar stated that defence and security are crucial aspects of India-Malaysia relations, which were discussed between the two Prime Ministers. Addressing the special media briefing here in New Delhi on Tuesday, Secretary East Jaideep Mazumdar said, "Defence and security is an important area of India-Malaysia ties. It was discussed between the two Prime Ministers both in terms of the compatibility of equipment that we have and how we can cooperate in that area in terms of maintenance and extending the service life of such equipment and also in terms of India being a source country for defence exports that has happened over the last few years."

"We already have significant exchanges between our defence forces...in the very wide-ranging and comprehensive discussions that both sides had, many issues were discussed...they also discussed extremism and radicalism, and both leaders see eye to eye on that issue," he added. He said that several important agreements were signed during this time today. An important area is in the recruitment, employment and repatriation of workers.

"This is quite a significant MoU because it paves the way for the welfare of Indian workers, ensuring their welfare and their proper conditions of work as well as repatriation this is something that both sides have been working on for some time and it will go a long way in not only securing the welfare of Indian workers, but also opening up the entire field of employment in Malaysia that is open to foreign workers, for Indian workers as well," added Secretary East in MEA.

He pointed out that Since Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (of Malaysia) assumed office in 2022, the relationship between India and Malaysia has taken an upward swing.

"There have been more than 15 bilateral visits at the level of Minister or Deputy Minister and this is reflected in a very wide range of engagements that we have today between India and Malaysia and the chart that we have charted for the relationship going forward. Today, they had extensive discussions on trade and commerce, defence and security, cultural exchanges, people-to-people ties, on emerging areas like digital technologies, semiconductors, renewable energy and sustainable development," he said.

This is the first visit of PM Ibrahim to India as the Prime Minister and it assumes significance firstly because it is his first visit as the PM since he took over at the end of 2022, secondly, also the fact that India has nearly 10 years of enhanced strategic partnership with Malaysia, which was announced when PM Narendra Modi had visited Malaysia in 2015.

"As you would have seen from the press statement between the two leaders earlier today, it was marked by great warmth and personal rapport between the two leaders. PM Anwar Ibrahim, when he was not yet in office, visited India in 2019 for the Raisina Dialogue when he called on PM Narendra Modi and they developed a very close rapport and personal connection which was very much visible in the interactions that they had and the way forward that they have charted for the two countries. In fact, they decided that they would enhance the relationship between India and Malaysia to a comprehensive, strategic partnership", Secretary ( East) in MEA said.