During his visit to Malaysia, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, expressing admiration for the latter's commitment to fostering stronger ties between their nations. This encounter marked the culmination of Jaishankar's tour across Singapore, the Philippines, and Malaysia, aimed at bolstering regional relationships.
Jaishankar conveyed warm regards from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, underscoring the significance of their engagement. He commended Anwar Ibrahim's forward-looking approach to enhancing the India-Malaysia relationship, spanning both traditional and contemporary domains. Emphasizing the need for an ambitious agenda, Jaishankar acknowledged the invaluable guidance and insights provided by Anwar Ibrahim on regional developments.
Prior to this meeting, Jaishankar engaged in a productive discussion with his Malaysian counterpart, Mohamad bin Haji Hasan. Their exchange covered various aspects of bilateral affairs, alongside regional and international issues of mutual concern. Jaishankar highlighted the importance of collaboration across political, economic, defense, digital, startup, consular, and people-to-people linkages. Moreover, they shared perspectives on regional dynamics, including the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, and Ukraine.
Looking ahead, Jaishankar expressed eagerness to deepen engagements between India and Malaysia as they approach the completion of a decade of Enhanced Strategic Partnership. Discussions also revolved around forthcoming high-level visits and the scheduling of the 7th Joint Commission Meeting between the two countries.
This meeting marked the first encounter between Jaishankar and Hasan since the latter assumed office in December 2023. Additionally, Jaishankar is set to meet Minister of Digital Gobind Singh Deo during his visit, further underlining the commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation.
The overarching goal of Jaishankar's visit is to fortify cooperation between India and Malaysia while gaining a better understanding of shared opportunities and challenges. With robust economic partnerships and deep-rooted people-to-people ties, Malaysia and India continue to nurture a longstanding and substantive relationship. In 2023 alone, the bilateral trade volume reached RM 77.76 billion (USD 16.53 billion), reinforcing the significance of their partnership on the global stage.
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