New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced that the ties between India and Malaysia will be elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership after he held talks with his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim earlier in the day. The two sides also exchanged several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) after Ibrahim arrived in the national capital today for a state visit, marking his maiden visit to India as Malaysian PM.
In a joint press statement with his Malaysian counterpart at Hyderabad House, PM Modi said, "After becoming the PM, this is the first visit of Dato' Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim. I am happy to have the opportunity to welcome you at the beginning of my third term. India and Malaysia are completing a decade of partnership and in the last two years, with the support of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, our partnership has gained a new momentum and energy."
The Indian leader further said he discussed all avenues of bilateral cooperation with Ibrahim and said the investment from Malaysia to India reached over $5 million per year. Lauding the India-Malaysia relationship, he said that the two countries have "more potential" when it comes to ties, which is why the cooperation must be increased.
In a major achievement, PM Modi said India's UPI will be collaborating with Malaysian Paynet, and the linkage of the two will be worked upon. "We must increase our cooperation in the field of New technology areas, such as fintech, semiconductor, AI and Quantum," he added.
Ibrahim lauds 'brother' PM Modi
The Malaysian premier lauded PM Modi as his "brother", saying that India and Malaysia have several avenues to further explore. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is my brother. Even when I was not the PM he was very kind...We have agreed to enhance the further comprehensive strategic partnership..." Ibrahim said in the joint press statement with PM Modi today.
"We will reinvigorate this working relations in all fields...We discuss as true brothers on all issues, sensitive or unlike wise, because this is the true meaning of friendship. We have established an understanding of a number of issues, and the Prime Minister kindly mentioned some of them. But I have said, as we have said in the meetings, we will extend this," Ibrahim further said.
He also called India an important and great nation and invited Indian companies to collaborate in Malaysian business initiatives. "We would hope that Indian companies with Malaysian companies collaborate further in all fields, including the new challenging areas like energy transition, digitalization, and also food security," he added.
India-Malaysia employment pact
A pact on promoting recruitment of Indian workers in Malaysia and protection of their interests was one of the eight agreements inked between the two sides. The pact on the recruitment of Indian workers assumes significance as illegal immigration and human trafficking from India to Malaysia are among the major concerns of the two governments.
PM Modi said the agreement on the employment of workers will promote the recruitment of Indians as well as the protection of their interests. "We should increase mutual cooperation in new technological areas, such as semiconductors, Fintech, defence industry, artificial intelligence and quantum. We have emphasised on accelerating the review of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement between India and Malaysia," he said.
Both sides also decided to establish a digital council for cooperation in digital technology, and to form a start-up alliance. In the Modi-Ibrahim talks, it was also decided to set up an Ayurveda chair in Malaysia's University Tunku Abdul Rahman. A decision has also been taken to establish a Tiruvalluvar Chair in the University of Malaya.
The Ministry of External Affairs said both leaders had extensive discussions on trade and commerce, on defence and security, on cultural exchanges, people to people ties, on emerging areas like digital technologies, semiconductors, renewable energy and sustainable development. Ibrahim had arrived in the national capital on Tuesday for a state visit, his first visit to India as the Malaysian PM. He was warmly received by Union Minister of State, V Somanna at the airport.
(with agency inputs)
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