INDIA PM MODI ACCORDED OFFICIAL WELCOME AT PERDANA PUTRA

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 8 (Bernama) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day official visit to Malaysia, was accorded an official welcome at the Perdana Putra Complex here today.

Modi arrived at 9.08 am and was received by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, after which the national anthems of both countries were played.

Modi then inspected a guard of honour mounted by three officers and 103 personnel from the First Battalion of the Royal Ranger Regiment (Ceremonial), led by Major Muhamad Nur Addeen Mustaza, while the band was led by Captain (Dom) Mohd Fahmy Harun from the Royal Ranger Regiment Central Band.

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Also present were Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Cabinet ministers, foreign diplomats and senior government officials.

Modi’s visit reciprocates Anwar’s official visit to India in August 2024.

Anwar and Modi are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting at the Seri Perdana Complex later today, followed by an official luncheon held in Modi’s honour.

In a statement on Friday, Wisma Putra said both leaders are expected to take stock of Malaysia-India bilateral relations and explore further collaboration, particularly in trade and investment, defence and security, labour, tourism, connectivity, agriculture and education.

Following the meeting, both leaders are scheduled to witness exchanges of several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in the fields of combating and preventing corruption, standards of training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers and disaster management, an agreement on audio-visual production and a memorandum of collaboration (MoC) in the field of labour.

They will also witness exchanges of notes (EoNs) in the fields of semiconductors, healthcare, national security, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), in addition to an exchange of letters (EoL) on United Nations peacekeeping cooperation, and the submission of a framework agreement on International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA).

India is Malaysia’s largest trading partner in the South Asian region, with total trade between the two countries reaching RM79.49 billion (US$18.59 billion) in 2025.

Malaysia's exports amounted to RM52.3 billion (US$12.24 billion) and imports totalled RM27.19 billion (US$6.35 billion), with key export items comprising palm oil and palm oil-based agricultural products, as well as electrical and electronic products, while imports mainly consisted of agricultural, petroleum and chemical products.

-- BERNAMA