India, Malaysia elevate ties to comprehensive strategic partnership: PM Modi

New Delhi [India], August 20 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the ties between India and Malaysia will be elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

In a joint press statement with his Malaysian counterpart at Hyderabad House in Delhi, PM Modi said, “After becoming the PM, this is the first visit of Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim. I am happy to have the opportunity to welcome you at the beginning of my third term. India and Malaysia are completing a decade of partnership and in the last two years, with the support of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, our partnership has gained a new momentum and energy.”

Prime Minister Modi further said that the investment from Malaysia to India reached over 5 billion dollars last year.

He said, “Today, we discussed extensively all areas of mutual cooperation. We have seen that our bilateral trade is progressing steadily. Last year, investment from Malaysia to India reached over 5 billion dollars. Today we have decided that our partnership will be elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”

Lauding the India-Malaysia relationship, Prime Minister Modi said that the two countries have “more potential” when it comes to ties, which is why the cooperation must be increased.

He also announced that India’s UPI will be collaborating with Malaysian Paynet, and the linkage of the two will be worked upon.

“We have more potential in our relationship. We must increase our cooperation in the field of New technology areas, such as fintech, semiconductor, AI and Quantum…We will be working on linking India’s UPI and Malaysian Paynet…” PM Modi underlined during his address.

Before the joint press statements, India and Malaysia exchanged MoUs and Agreements in the presence of Prime Minister Modi and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at Hyderabad House here in the national capital.

Earlier today, PM Modi held a bilateral meeting with visiting Malaysian counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim at the Hyderabad House. The discussions between the two leaders were held to further deepen engagement across various domains of partnership between India and Malaysia.

Ibrahim had arrived in the national capital today for a state visit, his first visit to India as the Malaysian premier. He was warmly received by Union Minister of State, V Somanna at the airport.

He also paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi, laying a wreath at Delhi’s Rajghat following his meeting with PM Modi. Ibrahim also signed the visitor’s book at the Rajghat.