New Delhi/Johanessburg , 22 November (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Malaysian counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim, held substantive discussions on Saturday, reaffirming their commitment to diversifying the robust bilateral relationship between the two nations. The exchange, described by Prime Minister Modi as a great exchange of views, underscores the deepening ties recently elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

In a statement following the engagement, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the productive nature of the talks, noting, India and Malaysia will continue to work together to diversify bilateral cooperation. This meeting builds on a series of high-level interactions throughout the year, including a virtual meeting during the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit in October and talks on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit in July.

Deepening a Multi-Faceted PartnershipThe foundation of this intensified engagement was solidified during Prime Minister Ibrahim's state visit to India in August 2024, his first since assuming office. That visit formally upgraded the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, moving beyond the Enhanced Strategic Partnership established in 2015.

The leaders have identified a wide array of sectors for future collaboration. Key areas include defense and security, economic and trade relations, digital technology, renewable energy, and healthcare. Both nations also agreed to bolster cooperation in combating terrorism and transnational crime through enhanced information sharing.

Economic and Technological Frontiers

Economic partnership remains a cornerstone of the relationship, governed by a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) effective since 2011. The leaders' recent discussions aim to expand on this framework, with a focus on new-age sectors like financial technology, startups, and semiconductors.

Reflecting the growing scope of the partnership, Malaysia has joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) as a founding member, an initiative championed by India.

Furthermore, India has extended special allocations for Malaysian nationals under its Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme, particularly in fields like cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, to foster skilled talent flow between the two countries.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar