What sectors are being prioritized in India-Malaysia bilateral cooperation?

India and Malaysia are focusing on enhancing cooperation in sectors such as trade, semiconductors, defence, infrastructure, digital economy, and clean energy.

Why is the meeting between PM Modi and PM Anwar Ibrahim significant for India-Malaysia relations?

The meeting marks a continuation of efforts to deepen bilateral ties following Modi's recent visit to Malaysia, highlighting mutual interests in trade, defence, and technological collaboration.

How is India planning to expand its defence partnerships with Malaysia?

India is looking to facilitate stronger defence ties with Malaysia through joint personnel training and potential procurement of military equipment, including discussions around the BrahMos missile system.

Maritime neighbours, close partners: PM Modi after meeting Malaysian counterpart

Modi said the growing defence partnership, expanding two-way investments and deeper people-to-people links reflected the new momentum in the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership

Published on: Sep 12, 2026, 16:48:30 IST

By Rezaul H Laskar

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India and Malaysia reviewed their cooperation in areas ranging from trade and semiconductors to infrastructure and defence as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim met on the margins of the Brics Summit on Saturday and explored ways to build on the momentum in bilateral relations.

Malaysia is also a key partner within the Asean grouping for India. (@anwaribrahim)

Malaysia is a partner country in the Brics grouping, and Anwar is visiting India seven months after Modi’s trip to Kuala Lumpur in February. Malaysia is also a key partner within the Asean grouping for India, and trade between the two countries is currently worth almost $19 billion.

“Maritime neighbours, close partners and a friendship powered by our people.

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Delighted to meet PM Anwar Ibrahim,” Modi said on social media after the meeting. “India-Malaysia ties are moving into ambitious new areas like semiconductors, critical minerals, clean energy, infrastructure and talent mobility.”

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Modi said the growing defence partnership, expanding two-way investments and deeper people-to-people links reflected the new momentum in the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

Anwar said in a separate social media post that he had raised with Modi the need to “facilitate and accelerate the entry of Malaysian export goods into the Indian market” to provide opportunities to Malaysian companies to tap India’s rapidly growing market. The discussions also focused on efforts to expand cooperation in strategic sectors, particularly the semiconductor industry, he said.

“Malaysia and India possess complementary strengths that can be harnessed through industrial collaboration, supply chain integration, talent development and two-way investments,” Anwar said.

The external affairs ministry said in a readout that the two leaders took stock of the outcomes of Modi’s visit to Malaysia in February and reviewed progress in cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, defence and security, infrastructure, digital economy, energy, fintech, education, tourism and people-to-people ties.

Anwar conveyed Malaysia’s concurrence to the establishment of an Indian consulate at Kota Kinabalu in Sabah.

Modi appreciated Malaysia’s continued support in strengthening Asean-India relations and the leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues, the readout said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rezaul H Laskar
Rezaul Hasan Laskar is Foreign Editor with the Hindustan Times, which he joined in 2015. He began as a journalist in his hometown of Shillong in northeast India and has worked in newspapers and wire services over the years. He moved to New Delhi in 1997 and initially focused on defence, national security, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, while also working of foreign policy and international relations. He has been part of the media delegation accompanying PMs on foreign visits and has reported from destinations ranging from Tibet to Ukraine. Between 2007 and 2013, he was the Press Trust of India correspondent in Pakistan, one of only two Indian journalists allowed to report from the country. He extensively covered Pakistan’s domestic politics and the life of the common people, as well as the fallout of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on India-Pakistan relations and the subsequent trial in Pakistan of the suspects involved in the attack. As part of his reportage in Pakistan, he travelled the breadth of the country, from the Swat Valley to Balochistan. Reza’s first gig in journalism was writing a weekly music column, and music – especially classic rock – remains a keen interest. He is also a movie buff and a keen photographer.Read More

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