India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim during a two‑day visit to Kuala Lumpur, focusing on the expanded BRICS engagement and the pursuit of UN Security Council reforms.

Malaysia welcomed India’s 2026 BRICS chairmanship and expressed support for reforms aimed at making global institutions more representative of contemporary realities, including India’s bid for a permanent UNSC seat.

The joint statement underscored a shared commitment to strengthening multilateralism and ensuring that international bodies reflect current geopolitical dynamics.

Both leaders described their cooperation as a strategic milestone towards a more balanced and representative international order. They reiterated their willingness to collaborate across multilateral forums, particularly the United Nations, and pledged to work together on international institution reforms.

India appreciated Malaysia’s backing for New Delhi’s push for a reformed UNSC and permanent membership. The two premiers also congratulated Malaysia on its successful ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025 and reaffirmed the importance of ASEAN unity and centrality within regional architecture.

On economic and strategic cooperation, Modi and Anwar Ibrahim stressed deepening ties across trade, defence, and technology. They welcomed progress on the Malaysia‑India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (MICECA) and the ASEAN‑India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), and noted ongoing reviews to streamline trade facilitation and mutual benefit.

They highlighted cooperation between central banks to promote local currency settlements, encouraging the use of the Indian rupee and the Malaysian ringgit for invoicing and trade settlements.

Defence cooperation featured prominently, with ongoing exchanges, staff talks, exercises, and industry collaboration through the Malaysia‑India Defence Cooperation Committee (MIDCOM). The formation of a Strategic Affairs Working Group and the Su‑30 Forum were welcomed, and both leaders supported continued participation in the ADMM‑Plus framework.

They also directed preparations for an Expert Working Group on Counter Terrorism Table‑Top Exercise to be hosted by Malaysia in 2026, reinforcing commitments to counter‑terrorism efforts and the fight against radicalisation and transnational crime.

In the energy and technology sectors, the leaders noted collaboration between PETRONAS and Gentari on renewable energy and green hydrogen initiatives, with potential for large‑scale solar projects leveraging Malaysia’s expertise.

They stressed shared ambitions on clean energy and net‑zero targets, and highlighted the ISA and IPOI as platforms for cooperation in the Indo‑Pacific. The dialogue extended to semiconductor capacity, with joint initiatives involving IIT-Madras Global and Malaysia’s Advanced Semiconductor Academy, as well as collaborations between the Indian Engineering Services Alliance and Malaysian partners.

The signing of several agreements accompanied the talks, including memoranda on combating corruption, disaster management, and social security for Indian citizens in Malaysia, along with an agreement on audio-visual co‑production.

The two sides witnessed exchange of notes on cooperation in semiconductors, healthcare, national security, and vocational education and training, and Malaysia’s ratification of the Framework Agreement on the International Big Cats Alliance.

The formalisation of the Malaysia‑India Digital Council (MIDC) was welcomed as a milestone for advancing digital cooperation in fintech, e‑governance, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure, and related technologies.

The visit also featured continued collaboration between NPCI International Limited and PayNet Malaysia to establish bilateral payment linkages, anticipated to facilitate cross‑border payments and lower costs for tourists, students, and small businesses.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral economic, defence, and strategic ties, and urged ongoing collaboration across multiple sectors. In public diplomacy, Modi’s address and engagements underscored the long‑standing ties between the two nations and the importance of people‑to‑people links.

The Prime Minister concluded his Kuala Lumpur program with a ceremonial farewell at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, after expressing gratitude in a post on X for Malaysia’s hospitality and friendship. Notably, Modi’s visit marked his first foreign trip of 2026, signalling the importance India places on its Southeast Asian partnerships at the start of the year.

Based On ANI Report