On Wednesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to discuss various aspects of cooperation between the two countries. The meeting, which took place at the Prime Minister's Office, lasted about an hour. They talked about trade, science and technology, education, agriculture, tourism, defence, and digital advancements. They also touched upon regional issues, including the situation in Myanmar.
During their discussion, Anwar Ibrahim expressed his commitment to facilitate the establishment of an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) branch campus in Malaysia. He also thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for supporting Malaysia during a rice shortage and hoped for further cooperation in importing agricultural produce from India.
Anwar Ibrahim expressed his desire for the relationship between Malaysia and India to continue flourishing for the benefit of both countries' people. He also mentioned his intention to visit India in the near future.
S Jaishankar, who is on a visit to Malaysia as part of his three-nation tour, conveyed Prime Minister Modi's warm greetings to Anwar Ibrahim. He praised the Malaysian Prime Minister's vision for strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations, both in traditional areas and in new-age sectors. Jaishankar also appreciated Anwar Ibrahim's insights on regional developments.
Before meeting Anwar Ibrahim, S Jaishankar had a meeting with Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad bin Haji Hasan. The two ministers had a productive discussion on various aspects of Malaysia-India bilateral relations, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest. The meeting was attended by Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu and Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong.
The relationship between Malaysia and India is significant, with robust economic partnerships and close people-to-people ties. In 2023, India was Malaysia's 12th largest global trading partner, with total trade amounting to RM 77.76 billion (USD 16.53 billion).
