Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that India aims to further increase its cooperation with Malaysia, as he delegation-level talks with his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim on day 2 of his two-day visit to the Southeast Asian country. Stressing it is crucial for India to have support of friendly countries in the fight against terrorism, he said the prosperity of Kuala Lumpur and New Delhi are intertwined.
India and Malaysia are two crucial maritime neighbours, and they need to utilise their potential to their fullest amid global instability, the prime minister asserted. He said the core message of his two-day visit is to expand cooperation between India and Malaysia in every possible sector, as he thanked Ibrahim for the rousing welcome he received upon his arrival.
He said Malaysia has nearly three million people of Indian origin, who are a 'living bridge' between the two countries. In his remarks, PM Modi also congratulated Ibrahim for the successful chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adding that the platform will get strengthened further with Kuala Lumpur's cooperation.
"Today, our cooperation is deepening in every sector, from agriculture and manufacturing to clean energy and semiconductors," the Indian leader was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. We are also important partners in skill development and capacity building. Our defence and security cooperation is also continuously strengthening.
Key MoUs exchanged
Following the talks between the two leaders, India and Malaysia inked several MOUs (Memorandum of Understandings), with Ibrahim saying that New Delhi has registered a spectacular rise in global trade and economic front. Addressing a joint press conference, the Malaysian prime minister said that the two countries will continue to expand the collaboration between them in trade, investment, connectivity and defence.
He said that these MoUs were extremely vital for India and Malaysia, who have a long-standing relationship since 1957. Ibrahim said the two sides will also strengthen the cooperation in counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing and maritime security.
"I must also take this opportunity to express my regards and thanks to PM Modi for his firm commitment to support all peace efforts throughout the world, be it in Ukraine, Russia or in the case of the Middle East, particularly in Gaza, his commitment to support the peace process is unequivocal and certainly I must therefore express my appreciation," he said.
India, Malaysia to make defence cooperation more comprehensive
During the press conference, PM Modi asserted that India and Malaysia will make the defence cooperation between more comprehensive, highlighting the importance of the Indo-Pacific region for the world. Besides, the two nations will also expand the partnership between them in semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), digital technologies, and health and food security.
The prime minister said India gives a lot of priority to ASEAN centrality. He said that India and Malaysia have a view that reforming global institutions is necessary to tackle the current challenges of the world. In addition to this, there cannot be any double-standard in dealing with terrorism, he pointed out.
"India-Malaysia relations are really special. We are maritime neighbours. For centuries, there have been deep ties between people of our two countries. Today, Malaysia is the second biggest nation in the world that has Indian origin population. Our civilisations are connected to shared cultural heritage and democratic values," said PM Modi.
"In the security sector, we will strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing and maritime security. We will also make defence cooperation more comprehensive. Along with AI and digital technologies, we will further advance our partnership in semiconductor, health and food security," he added.