PM Modi to visit Malaysia on Feb 7-8; to discuss trade, defence ties

PM Modi's Malaysia visit will review trade, defence and tech ties, and chart the future course of the India-Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi will visit Malaysia on February 7 and 8, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday.

 

The PM’s bilateral talks with his Malaysian counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim, will have them review India-Malaysia cooperation, ranging from trade and investment, defence, security and maritime cooperation, to digital and financial technology, energy, healthcare, education, culture, tourism, people-to-people ties. They will set the path for future engagement for mutual benefit, the MEA said.

 

Malaysia is India’s third largest trading partner in ASEAN. India-Malaysia trade in 2024-25 was $19.9 billion, including exports worth $7.36 billion and imports from Malaysia worth $12.54 billion. 

 

 

Indian companies have invested in around 250 manufacturing projects of over $2.62 billion in Malaysia. Presently, there are more than 200 Indian companies, including 61 Indian joint ventures and 3 Indian Public Sector Undertakings operating in Malaysia.

A bilateral India-Malaysia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement covering goods, services and investment came into effect from July 1, 2011. 

 

The ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement came into force in January 2010 while ASEAN-India Agreements on Trade in Services and Investment has been operational since July 2015, and its review is currently ongoing. 

 

During the visit, the PM will also interact with members of the Indian community, as well as industry and business representatives. 

 

The 10th India-Malaysia CEO Forum is also scheduled to be held coinciding with the PM’s visit. This would be the PM’s third visit to Malaysia, and the first after the elevation of the India-Malaysia bilateral relationship to a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’, in August 2024. Malaysia is home to 2.9 million strong Indian diaspora, the third largest in the world.