Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a two-day official visit to Malaysia from February 7 to 8, holding talks with his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim to advance cooperation in trade, investment, defence, digital technologies and regional security, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday.
The visit comes months after India and Malaysia elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, signalling a sharper focus on economic collaboration, defence exchanges and people-to-people links. The two leaders are expected to review progress under the upgraded framework and outline a roadmap for deeper engagement.
Modi’s Malaysia visit will include delegation-level talks, interaction with the Indian diaspora and meetings with business leaders. The India-Malaysia CEO Forum is also scheduled alongside the visit, underscoring the emphasis on expanding commercial ties and investment flows.
This will be Modi’s third visit to Malaysia, following earlier visits in 2015 and 2018, both of which helped energise bilateral ties and strengthen India’s engagement with Southeast Asia. His 2015 visit focused on economic cooperation and connectivity, while the 2018 trip saw discussions on counter-terrorism, maritime security and cultural exchanges.
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India and Malaysia share strong civilisational links and a vibrant people-to-people relationship, anchored by a nearly three-million-strong Indian community in Malaysia, one of the largest Indian diasporas globally. These ties continue to play a key role in shaping bilateral engagement.
Economic cooperation forms a central pillar of the relationship. Bilateral trade has crossed $20 billion annually, with Malaysia emerging as one of India’s key trading partners in the ASEAN region. Palm oil, electronics, petroleum products, machinery and chemicals dominate trade flows, while Indian companies have a growing presence in Malaysia across infrastructure, IT services, pharmaceuticals and education.
The leaders are expected to discuss ways to diversify trade, ease market access, strengthen supply chains and expand collaboration in emerging areas such as digital public infrastructure, fintech, renewable energy, semiconductors and artificial intelligence. Cooperation in healthcare, education, skill development and labour mobility is also likely to feature prominently.
Malaysia occupies a strategic place in India’s Act East Policy and its broader Indo-Pacific outlook.
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