KUALA LUMPUR: India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake an official visit to Malaysia on Saturday (Feb 7) and Sunday (Feb 8), at the invitation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Wisma Putra, in a statement Friday (Feb 6), said the visit reciprocated Anwar’s official visit to India in August 2024.
“The visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations and foster enhanced cooperation in areas of mutual benefit, building upon the strong foundation of friendship since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1957, and the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in August 2024,” the statement read.
Modi will be accorded an official welcoming ceremony at the Perdana Putra Complex in Putrajaya on Sunday, followed by a bilateral meeting with Anwar at the Seri Perdana Complex in Putrajaya.
Wisma Putra said both leaders were expected to take stock of Malaysia-India bilateral relations and explore further collaboration, particularly in the fields of trade and investment, defence and security, labour, tourism, connectivity, agriculture and education.
The discussion also included regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Following the meeting, both leaders are scheduled to witness the exchange of several memoranda of understanding 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 in the field of labour.
They will also witness the exchange of notes in the fields of semiconductors, healthcare, national security and vocational education and training, in addition to an exchange of letters on United Nations peacekeeping cooperation and the submission of a framework agreement on the International Big Cat Alliance.
Anwar will also host an official luncheon in honour of Modi.
During the visit, Modi will be accompanied by India's External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar and senior government officials.
In 2025, total trade between Malaysia and India reached RM79.49bil (US$18.59bil). Malaysia’s total exports to India amounted to RM52.30bil (US$12.24bil) and total imports amounted to RM27.19bil (US$6.35bil).
Key export items comprised palm oil and palm oil-based agricultural products and electrical and electronic products, while imports from India mainly consisted of agricultural products, petroleum products and chemical products.
India was Malaysia’s largest trading partner in the South Asian region. – Bernama
