Kuala Lumpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held delegation-level talks with his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim at the Perdana Putra complex, marking a key moment in his two-day official visit to Malaysia.
The meeting with ministers and senior officials from both sides followed a ceremonial welcome and Guard of Honour at Perdana Putra, the Malaysian prime minister’s office. PM Modi arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, where Anwar personally received him at the airport. Malaysian Human Resources Minister Ramanan Ramakrishnan and Deputy Foreign Minister Lukanisman bin Awang Sauni were also present.
The arrival ceremony featured a red-carpet reception with traditional music and dance, underscoring the shared cultural links between the two nations. Reacting to the welcome, PM Modi said on X he was “deeply touched” by Anwar’s gesture and looked forward to discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.
Later, the two leaders traveled together to an Indian community event in Kuala Lumpur, which Anwar also attended. “Celebrating the India-Malaysia people-to-people connect,” PM Modi posted, sharing an update from the journey.
Following the initial engagements, PM Modi and Anwar were scheduled to hold wide-ranging bilateral talks on Sunday, Feb. 8. The discussions are expected to yield several agreements to broaden cooperation across sectors.
In his departure statement ahead of the visit, PM Modi emphasized building on what he called the steady progress in ties. He said the talks would focus on deepening defense and security cooperation, expanding economic and innovation partnerships, and exploring collaboration in new areas.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the visit as carrying a “rich agenda” that would provide a major boost to the special partnership between the two countries, adding it would inject fresh momentum into a close and multifaceted relationship.
The visit is PM Modi’s third to Malaysia and his first since the two sides elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in August 2024. India and Malaysia share longstanding ties shaped by history, civilization and culture, reinforced by Malaysia’s Indian-origin community of about 2.9 million — the world’s third-largest overseas Indian population.
