MODI’S MALAYSIA VISIT DEEPENS BILATERAL TIES, DELIVERS TANGIBLE BENEFITS

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 (Bernama) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to Malaysia yielded wide-ranging outcomes that are set to deepen bilateral ties and deliver tangible benefits to both countries, India’s Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (East) P Kumaran said.

He said the visit, which concludes today, was significant as it marked nearly a decade since Modi’s previous official visit to Malaysia in 2015, when bilateral relations were elevated to an enhanced strategic partnership.

Recalling Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to India in 2024, he said the trip gave renewed momentum to bilateral cooperation, with the partnership subsequently upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

“There is reason to be satisfied that our cooperation is proceeding very well. The outcomes of this visit are of immense significance, not only because of the range and diversity of subjects covered but also the positive impact they will bring to our people, and therefore reflect the true spirit of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” he said at a briefing on the successful conclusion of Modi’s visit to Malaysia.

Kumaran said both prime ministers held bilateral discussions at Seri Perdana today, reviewing cooperation across the full spectrum of the partnership, including trade, investment, defence and security, as well as digital and financial technologies, renewable energy, education, healthcare, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

He said the two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues before witnessing the exchange of several bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding.

These cover cooperation in semiconductors, health and medicine, security, technical and vocational education, disaster management, social security and audiovisual collaboration, as well as the renewal of the memorandum of understanding on United Nations peacekeeping cooperation.

On cross-border QR payment systems, Kumaran said discussions on linking India’s Unified Payments Interface with Malaysia’s payment systems are progressing, although the initiative involves multiple technical steps and safeguards.

“Once the technical steps get completed it will be operationalised,” he said, adding that the linkage would primarily benefit tourists and workers through seamless cross-border payments and remittances.

On counter-terrorism, Kumaran said cooperation between the two countries remains robust, underpinned by joint working groups, security dialogues and intelligence-sharing mechanisms.

Modi concluded his two-day official visit to Malaysia on Sunday at the invitation of Anwar, who visited India in 2024.

-- BERNAMA