Putrajaya, Malaysia – Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim affirmed that Malaysia views India as a great nation and a close friend. He also emphasized the strength of the cultural ties between the two countries and the importance of their growing geopolitical relationship. This came during a quadrilateral meeting Anwar held today with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, at the Seri Perdana complex. Several Malaysian ministers attended the meeting, including Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Hassan, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, and Economic Affairs Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
Anwar said the two sides discussed a number of issues of mutual interest that require further discussion at the technical team level. He emphasized that the foundation of bilateral relations remains strong. He added, “We consider India a great and friendly country with which we share close cultural and, of course, geopolitical ties.” The Malaysian Prime Minister expressed his country’s eagerness to enhance cooperation with India in various fields following Modi’s two-day official visit to Malaysia. He described the visit as holding great personal significance for him. He said, “I have been anticipating this visit for some time, and it was postponed for a good reason, but today we are witnessing a wonderful reception and great warmth from the Malaysian people.”
For his part, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his deep appreciation to Anwar for the warm welcome, describing the arrangements and organization as exceptional and unforgettable. He affirmed that the pace and depth of development in Malaysian-Indian relations in recent years have been inspiring. He also commended Anwar’s role in strengthening these ties. Modi noted that cooperation between the two countries is continuously expanding in several sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, clean energy, and semiconductors. He also pointed to growing cooperation in skills development and capacity building, as well as defense and security.
He also stressed the importance of cooperation between friendly nations in combating terrorism, noting that India and Malaysia, as maritime neighbors, are called upon to make the most of their relationship amidst the current global instability. Modi affirmed that the core message of his visit is clear: India seeks to elevate its partnership with Malaysia to a new level by expanding cooperation and achieving shared prosperity across various sectors.
