Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Malaysia has delivered a packed basket of agreements and announcements, signalling a major upgrade in ties that now span business, security, technology, culture and welfare of the Indian community.
From semiconductors and digital payments to TVET, health and big cat conservation, the visit has clearly moved the India–Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into a higher gear.
Big-ticket agreements and new areas
The two sides concluded 11 key documents, including MoUs on disaster management, combating corruption, and cooperation in health and medicine, as well as an Audio-Visual Co-production Agreement that will deepen film and content collaboration. An Exchange of Letters on UN peacekeeping cooperation and an Exchange of Notes on semiconductor cooperation and security collaboration underline the emerging strategic and high-tech dimension of the relationship.
Social security and skills were another major focus, with a MoC between India’s ESIC and Malaysia’s PERKESO on social security programmes for Indian citizens working in Malaysia, and a separate note on cooperation in vocational education and training (TVET). These moves are expected to directly benefit Indian workers and students, while supporting Malaysia’s own human capital needs.
People-to-people, culture and payments
On the people-centric side, India announced a new Consulate General in Malaysia, a dedicated Thiruvalluvar Centre at Universiti Malaya and Thiruvalluvar Scholarships for Malaysian nationals, further cementing cultural and educational links.
A cross-border payments agreement between NPCI’s NIPL and Malaysia’s PayNet will make retail payments and remittances smoother, cheaper and more seamless for travellers and businesses.
The leaders also welcomed an MoU between the University of Cyberjaya and India’s Institute of Training and Research in Ayurveda, opening the door for deeper academic collaboration in traditional medicine. Both sides highlighted ongoing work on local currency settlement, healthcare cooperation and Malaysia’s role as a founding member of the International Big Cats Alliance.
Business confidence
PM Modi’s separate interaction with top Malaysian business leaders from PETRONAS, Berjaya, Khazanah and Phison reinforced investor interest in India’s growth story.
Malaysian CEOs expressed keenness to expand portfolios and joint ventures in areas like infrastructure, renewables, semiconductors, digital tech and AI, building on the deliberations of the 10th India–Malaysia CEO Forum in Kuala Lumpur.
