KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 – The upcoming official visit of India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar to Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday (March 27) is poised to serve as a crucial platform for both countries to discuss their visions for the Indo-Pacific region, especially as Malaysia prepares to assume the ASEAN chair in 2025.
Co-Chairman of ASEAN India Business Council (AIBC), Datuk Ramesh Kodammal, underscored India’s steadfast commitment to ASEAN norms and principles, aligning with the region’s collective vision and priorities, notably against superpower rivalries.
He emphasised India’s dedication to maintaining an inclusive, peaceful, rule-based, and open Indo-Pacific region, which resonates with ASEAN’s AOIP (ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific).
“With the upcoming visit of Jaishankar, we can see progress in the diplomatic ties between Malaysia and India,” he said in a statement on the visit of Jaishankar to Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines from March 23 to March 27.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that the official visit underscores India’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and fostering regional cooperation in South-East Asia.
Although the bilateral relationship between Malaysia and India has seen ups and downs in recent years, Ramesh noted that both Delhi and Kuala Lumpur have earnestly addressed unexpected challenges, preserving a warm and meaningful relationship.
Malaysia is one of the four ASEAN member countries with which India has signed strategic partnership agreements, the others being Indonesia, Singapore, and Vietnam.
Ramesh highlighted the significance of the shift from a strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2015 during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Malaysia, showcasing Malaysia’s importance on India’s Act East policy.
While trade, commerce, and investment ties between the two countries have been growing, defence cooperation is also reaching new heights. With almost US$20 billion bilateral trade in 2022-2023, the two countries aim to cross a US$25 billion mark by 2026.
“With ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (AIFTA) coming into force in January 2010 and the Malaysia-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (MI-CECA) in 2011, India’s bilateral trade with Malaysia has increased from US$10 billion in 2010 to about US$20 billion in 2023, with an annualised growth rate of about 10 per cent,” said Ramesh.
