Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Malaysia on February 7-8 at the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Wednesday. This will be Modi’s third official visit to Malaysia and the first since the bilateral relationship was elevated to a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ in August 2024.
During his visit, PM Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with his Malaysian counterpart, interact with the Indian diaspora, and meet industry and business leaders. The 10th India-Malaysia CEO Forum will also coincide with his visit, highlighting the economic dimension of the partnership.
The MEA emphasized that India and Malaysia share deep-rooted historical, cultural, and civilizational ties. With a 2.9 million-strong Indian community in Malaysia, the relationship is further strengthened by strong people-to-people connections. The visit is seen as an opportunity to review cooperation in trade, investment, defence, security, digital technology, energy, healthcare, education, tourism, and cultural exchanges.
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The visit builds on recent diplomatic engagements, including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s meeting with Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Haji Hasan during the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur. Discussions had focused on bilateral cooperation and the evolving situation in Myanmar, underscoring India’s active engagement in regional stability.
PM Modi has consistently highlighted India’s commitment to ASEAN, including in his 22nd India-ASEAN Summit address in Kuala Lumpur. He emphasized ASEAN unity, sustainable development, and economic collaboration, urging a review of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement to unlock the full potential of regional trade benefiting over two billion people.
The upcoming visit is expected to further cement India-Malaysia ties across strategic, economic, and cultural spheres, setting the stage for deeper engagement under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework. It reflects India’s broader vision of strengthening relations with Southeast Asian nations in the Indo-Pacific region.
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