Malaysia and India deepen long-standing ties with stronger focus on education, talent development, and more

Tourism and connectivity are expected to grow, with both countries looking at visa facilitation and stronger air links to support travel and business exchanges.

Malaysia and India are stepping up efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation, with both countries drawing a broader and more structured partnership across education, skills development, trade, and strategic industries.

Speaking at a joint media conference following bilateral talks, leaders from both sides, Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim, and Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Republic of India described the relationship as one built on decades of trust and people-to-people ties, now moving into a more comprehensive strategic phase. While diplomatic relations date back to 1957, the partnership was elevated in 2024 to reflect growing collaboration in economic and human capital areas.

Education and talent development featured prominently in discussions, as PM Anwar shared in a Facebook post:

"Education also remains close to my heart, with a commitment to opening up more student exchange spaces and collaboration with higher education institutions, alongside strengthening TVET and talent development that will shape future generations."

Efforts will also include closer collaboration between universities and centres such as the Thiruvalluvar Centre at Universiti Malaya.

Beyond education, Malaysia and India agreed to deepen cooperation across various fields, including:

• trade and investment,
• semiconductors,
• the digital economy,
• trade in local currency,
• connectivity,
• energy, 
• agriculture and food security, and
• defence and security.

"It is really comprehensive, and we believe that we can advance execute this in a speedy manner with the commitment of both governments," PM Anwar added.

Eleven documents, including memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and exchanges of letters, were extended beyond normal bilateral arrangements, because "we have covered even peacekeeping operation, on the semiconductor, healthcare, and security cooperation."

Trade remains a key pillar of the relationship. Bilateral trade reached US$18.59bn in 2025, and both sides indicated plans to expand flows further. One notable development is the increased use of local currencies — the Malaysian ringgit and Indian rupee — for cross-border trade and investment, supported by coordination between Bank Negara Malaysia and the Reserve Bank of India.

Tourism and connectivity are also expected to grow, with both countries looking at visa facilitation and stronger air links to support travel and business exchanges.

On the regional and international front, both sides reiterated their commitment to cooperation on broader geopolitical and peace efforts, alongside closer diplomatic engagement, with PM Anwar sharing that these discussions go beyond normal pirate attitudes and diplomatic exchanges, but an exchange between true friends, one that is full of trust and understanding.

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for what he described as an unequivocal commitment to global peace efforts, including those related to Gaza and the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

In the spirit of friendship, PM Anwar also expressed Malaysia's approval to open the Indian Consulate in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

In separate Facebook post, PM Anwar said: "This bilateral friendship continues to be strengthened through increasingly meaningful cooperation in the fields of economic, digital, technology and citizen exchange, aligning with the future development aspirations of the two countries.

"In a world that is increasingly plagued with global uncertainties and challenges, Malaysia and India continue to be the voice that prioritises dialogue, cooperation and humanitarian values. In fact, friendship between countries is judged not in words, but in what extent the cooperation brings real benefits to the lives of the people."

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Lead image / PM Narendra Modi's Facebook