New Delhi: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday held the first India-Malaysia Security Dialogue with his Malaysian counterpart, where both sides exchanged views on the global and regional security environment. According to the statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs, Director General of the National Security Council of Malaysia, Raja Dato Nushirwan, and Doval also reviewed ongoing bilateral cooperation in the security, defence, and maritime fields during the crucial meeting held in the national capital.
"During the security dialogue, both sides exchanged views on the global and regional security environment and reviewed ongoing bilateral cooperation in the security, defence, and maritime fields," it said.
Counter-terrorism and defence on top agenda
The two sides agreed to deepen cooperation in counter-terrorism and deradicalisation, cybersecurity, the defence industry, and maritime security. They also explored ways to enhance cooperation in critical minerals and rare earths. It was agreed to institutionalise the dialogue by holding annual meetings.
The dialogue is an outcome of the visit of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, to India in August last year at the invitation of the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. During this visit, India-Malaysia bilateral ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and both leaders agreed to strengthen bilateral security cooperation.
During his visit, the prime minister also said that work will be done to link India’s payment system, UPI, with Malaysia's PayNet. The two sides also deliberated upon new possibilities of cooperation in the defence sector as well.
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