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PM’s Malaysia visit
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi undertook a two-day (7 & 8 February) official state visit to Malaysia, at the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim. This visit, held in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, marked PM Shri Modi’s first foreign trip of 2026 and his first official bilateral visit to Malaysia in nearly a decade, underscoring the growing strategic importance of India-Malaysia ties.
This visit came on the heels of the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in August 2024, during the state visit of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to India. The Malaysia trip provided an opportunity to review progress across the full gamut of cooperation, reinforce political trust, and set a strong agenda for future engagement in line with India’s Act East Policy, Vision MAHASAGAR, and Indo-Pacific strategy.
Upon arrival in Kuala Lumpur on 7 February, PM Modi was warmly received with a traditional Guard of Honour, cultural performances and vibrant festivities. The reception highlighted shared civilisational links and showcased the influence of Indian culture in Malaysia. The Prime Minister addressed a large gathering of the Indian diaspora, which numbers approximately 2.9 million people — one of the largest Indian communities abroad. PM Shri Modi also interacted with members of the Malaysian Parliament, Ministers, diplomats and veterans of the Indian National Army (INA), strengthening goodwill and shared historical heritage.
MoUs and Agreements
A total of 11 MoUs and related documents were exchanged, covering:
• Audio-visual co-production, Disaster management cooperation, Combating corruption
• UN Peacekeeping cooperation
• Semiconductor cooperation and AI collaboration
• Social security for Indian workers
• Technical and Vocational Education & Training
• Health and Medicine cooperation
• Security cooperation between national councils
• Exchange of the 10th India-Malaysia CEO Forum report
Announcements and Strategic Initiatives
• Establishment of an Indian Consulate General in Malaysia.
• Creation of a dedicated Thiruvalluvar Centre at Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, and launch of Thiruvalluvar Scholarships for Malaysian scholars.
• A cross-border payment linkage agreement between NPCI International and Malaysia’s PayNet, paving the way for UPI digital payment rollout in Malaysia, which is expected to deepen financial connectivity and ease remittances.
• Academic collaboration between the University of Cyberjaya and India’s Institute of Training and Research in Ayurveda.
Economic and Digital Cooperation
In the economic domain, both sides emphasised expanding bilateral trade and investment. Malaysia remains India’s third-largest trading partner in ASEAN, with trade nearing $20 billion. Talks focused on diversifying trade beyond traditional agricultural and manufactured products, and boosting cooperation in semiconductors, digital economy, fintech, and renewable energy. Enhanced local currency settlement mechanisms using Indian Rupee and Malaysian Ringgit were also encouraged