Malaysian PM India Visit: India and Malaysia on Friday exchanged MoUs and agreements in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, at Hyderabad House in Delhi. The two countries issued a joint statement. 






During the joint press conference, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that the relationship between two countries has more potential and called for increasing cooperation in the field of new technology areas.


"We have more potential in our relationship. We must increase our cooperation in the field of new technology areas, such as fintech, semiconductors, AI, and quantum... We will be working on linking India’s UPI and Malaysian Paynet," the Prime Minister said. 






The MoUs signed between the two countries included: Recruitment, employment, and repatriation of workers, Cooperation in the field of Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine, Cooperation in the field of digital technologies, cooperation in the field of culture, arts and heritage, tourism, youth, and sports. Besides this, a MoU was also signed for cooperation in the field of public administration and governance reforms.


The Prime Minister also said that emphasis is being laid on scholarships for students and training of government officials. "Emphasis is being laid on scholarships for students and training of government officials. Under the ITEC scholarship, 100 seats will be specially allocated for Malaysians for advanced courses like cyber security and AI. In Malaysia's University Tumko Abdul Rahman, an Ayurveda Chair is being established there," he said.


"Apart from this, a decision has also been taken to establish a Thiruvalluvar Chair at Malaysian University. I heartily thank Prime Minister Anwar and his team for their cooperation in all these special steps," he further stated.






During the press conference, PM Modi hailed Ibrahim, who is on his maiden visit to India, and said that the partnership between the two nations has gained new momentum and energy in the last two years under his leadership.


"After becoming the PM, this is the first visit of Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim. I am happy to have the opportunity to welcome you in the beginning of my third term. India and Malaysia are completing a decade of partnership and in the last two years, with the support of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, our partnership has gained a new momentum and energy," PM Modi said.


"Today, we discussed extensively all areas of mutual cooperation. We have seen that our bilateral trade is progressing steadily. Last year, investment from Malaysia to India has reached over 5 billion dollars. Today we have decided that our partnership will be elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," he further stated.






India Is Important And Great Nation With Great History: Malaysian PM


Malaysian PM Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim heaped praise on India and said that India is an important and great nation with a great history and great culture and civilisation.


"We will reinvigorate this working relations in all fields...We discuss as true brothers on all issues, sensitive or unlike wise, because this is the true meaning of friendship. We have established an understanding of a number of issues, and the Prime Minister kindly mentioned some of them. But I have said, as we have said in the meetings, we will extend this. I personally believe, and I have said this to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that there are so many areas that we need to explore further, and it's unfortunate. In the last many years, there has not been that truly forthcoming. India is an important and great nation with a great history and great culture and civilization," he said.






Praising PM Modi, the Malaysian PM called him his "brother" "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is my brother. Even when I was not the PM he was very kind...We have agreed to enhance the further comprehensive strategic partnership," Ibrahim said.






Earlier in the day, PM Modi received his Malaysian counterpart Ibrahim, who began three-day visit to India on Monday, in a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan in the national capital.