PM Modi In Malaysia: Strategic Ties, Act East Policy Likely To Be In Focus

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday departed for a two-day official visit to Malaysia on Saturday at the invitation of his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim. The visit is expected to give fresh momentum to the India-Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and further strengthen New Delhi's engagement with Southeast Asia under its Act East Policy.

In his departure statement, PM Modi described India and Malaysia as countries bound by historic ties that have seen "steadfast progress in recent years". He said he looked forward to discussions with Ibrahim to advance cooperation across defence, security, economy, innovation and emerging areas. "We will aim to deepen our defence and security ties, enhance our economic and innovation partnership, and expand our collaboration into new domains," he said.

This will be Prime Minister Modi's third visit to Malaysia and his first since bilateral relations were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Ibrahim's state visit to India in August 2024. Earlier, the relationship had been upgraded to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership during PM Modi's visit to Malaysia in 2015, when he also jointly inaugurated the iconic Torana Gate at Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur, a symbol of enduring friendship between the two nations.

India and Malaysia share strong historical and socio-cultural linkages, underpinned by a vibrant Indian community of about 2.9 million people in Malaysia, the third-largest Indian community overseas and the second-largest Person of Indian Origin (PIO) community in the world. PM Modi said he was eager to meet members of the Indian community, noting that their contribution to Malaysia's progress and their role as a "living bridge" between the two countries provided a strong foundation for bilateral ties. He is scheduled to address a community reception during the visit.

According to officials, PM Modi will hold bilateral talks with Ibrahim to review progress under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Malaysia is a key partner for India in ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific region, and played a significant role as ASEAN Chair in 2025.

Economic cooperation will be a major pillar of the visit. Bilateral trade has reached $19.85 billion in FY 2024-25, making Malaysia India's third-largest trading partner in ASEAN, while India figures among Malaysia's top 10 trading partners globally. The two sides are also working towards early conclusion of the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) and exploring a joint review of the India-Malaysia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement. A meeting of the India-Malaysia CEOs Forum is scheduled on the sidelines of the visit, where PM Modi will interact with leading Malaysian business leaders.

People-to-people ties have received a boost in recent years through liberalised visa regimes. Malaysia has allowed visa-free travel for Indian nationals since December 2023, while India has extended gratis tourist visas to Malaysians until December 2026. As a result, nearly 1.4 million Indians visited Malaysia in 2025, while about 3,00,000 Malaysians travelled to India, the highest from the ASEAN region.

The visit also highlights growing cultural and academic collaboration, including the establishment of an Ayurveda Chair at University Tunku Abdul Rahman and a Thiruvalluvar Chair of Indian Studies at University Malaya. Officials said PM Modi's visit would further consolidate bilateral cooperation and chart a forward-looking roadmap for India-Malaysia relations in the years ahead.