PM Modi, Malaysian Counterpart Review Progress In Bilateral Ties

(MENAFN- IANS) Rio de Janeiro, July 7 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim here on the sidelines of the 2025 BRICS Summit, during which both leaders reviewed the progress in the bilateral ties while discussing ways to boost investment and trade relations.

Taking to X, Prime Minister Modi shared pictures of his meeting on Sunday with the Malaysian PM, and wrote: "It was a very good meeting with Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mr. Anwar Ibrahim on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Brazil. Malaysia is vital for India, having a key place in our Vision MAHASAGAR and Act East Policy."

PM Modi added: "We reviewed the ground covered in our bilateral relations, including the progress made since PM Ibrahim's visit to India last year. Futuristic sectors like IT, renewable energy and infrastructure are those where bilateral ties are growing strongly. Also discussed how to improve investment and trade relations between our nations."

Earlier, in a statement, Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim said that "the BRICS grouping, which has emerged as a strong and principled force, represents an opportunity to shape a more balanced and just international order".

He said that legacy international organisations need to be reformed to reflect the changing global realities and to take into account the aspirations of developing nations, Anwar said in a statement.

"I also call for a major overhaul of global institutions such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization, to better reflect current realities and the needs of developing countries, rather than remaining trapped in outdated post-World War II structures," the Malaysian Prime Minister said.

Anwar, who was attending the 17th BRICS Summit hosted by Brazil, added that the grouping must strengthen its economic cooperation both among member states and with other regional groupings such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"BRICS and ASEAN members must also continue to strengthen strategic cooperation, including enhancing cross-regional trade and investment for the mutual benefit of developing nations," he said.

India established diplomatic relations with the Federation of Malaya (predecessor state of Malaysia) in 1957.

Both nations enjoyed a strong relationship in the 1960s as a result of the personal friendship between then Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra.

Malaysian PM Abdullah Badawi (2004-2009) and former PM Mohd. Najib Tun Abdul Razak took many initiatives to develop closer ties with India.

The Ministry of External Affairs, in a statement, notes that "there is a considerable goodwill for India in Malaysia at people-to-people level, which hosts approximately 2.75 million PIOs, which is the second-largest PIO community in the world after the US and the third-largest Indian diaspora in the world (2.9 million)".

There has been growing engagement in all aspects of our bilateral relationship since the elevation of India-Malaysia relations to Enhanced Strategic Partnership, during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Malaysia in November 2015.

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