Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome and Guard of Honour at the Perdana Putra complex in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, marking a key engagement of his ongoing two-day official visit to Malaysia.
The reception followed the Prime Minister’s arrival in the Malaysian capital on Saturday, where he was personally received at the airport by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Malaysian Human Resources Minister Ramanan Ramakrishnan and Deputy Foreign Minister Lukanisman bin Awang Sauni were also present during the welcome.
The ceremonial event at Perdana Putra featured a red-carpet reception along with traditional music and cultural performances, reflecting the shared heritage and longstanding people-to-people ties between India and Malaysia.
Responding to the warm welcome, Prime Minister Modi said he was deeply touched by the gesture extended by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and expressed confidence that the visit would further strengthen bilateral relations. He noted that the engagement would provide an opportunity for wide-ranging discussions aimed at advancing cooperation between the two countries.
Later, both leaders travelled together to attend an Indian community programme in Kuala Lumpur, underscoring the central role of the Indian diaspora in strengthening bilateral ties. The Indian-origin community in Malaysia is among the largest overseas Indian populations globally and continues to serve as a bridge between the two nations.
Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim are scheduled to hold comprehensive bilateral talks on Sunday. The discussions are expected to cover defence and security cooperation, economic engagement, digital and innovation partnerships, and collaboration in emerging sectors. Several agreements are likely to be finalised during the visit.
In his departure statement ahead of the visit, Prime Minister Modi said that India–Malaysia relations have witnessed steady progress in recent years and emphasised the shared commitment to further enhancing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He said the talks would focus on deepening defence ties, strengthening economic cooperation and expanding engagement in new areas.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the visit as carrying a rich agenda and said it would give fresh momentum to the close and multi-faceted partnership between the two countries.
This is Prime Minister Modi’s third visit to Malaysia and his first since India and Malaysia elevated their bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in August 2024.
India and Malaysia share deep-rooted ties shaped by shared history, civilisation and culture. These relations are further reinforced by Malaysia’s Indian-origin population of nearly 2.9 million, which remains a vital pillar of the bilateral partnership.
-ANI
