New Delhi, Feb 07 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday began a two-day visit to Malaysia aimed at strengthening defence cooperation, expanding economic ties, and fostering innovation driven collaboration between the two countries. The trip comes at the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and marks Modi’s third visit to the Southeast Asian nation, as well as the first since bilateral relations were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in August 2024.
In his departure statement, the Prime Minister highlighted the steady progress in ties, expressing optimism about discussions with his Malaysian counterpart. He noted that the visit would prioritise closer security collaboration, stronger commercial linkages, and exploration of new areas of partnership.
Modi also underscored the importance of the Indian diaspora, describing it as a “living bridge” connecting the two nations. With nearly three million people of Indian origin in Malaysia among the largest such communities globally the diaspora continues to play a vital role in reinforcing historical bonds and contributing to Malaysia’s development.
During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Anwar Ibrahim and engage with Indian community members, as well as leading industry and business representatives. The 10th India-Malaysia CEO Forum will also take place alongside the visit, signalling a push for deeper corporate and investment cooperation.
The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the relationship between the two countries is rooted in shared civilisational and cultural links and has evolved into a multi-dimensional partnership. Discussions are expected to cover a broad spectrum of areas, including trade, investment, maritime security, digital and financial technology, energy, healthcare, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, while charting a roadmap for future collaboration.