By Trend

India and Malaysia last Friday marked 65 years of modern diplomatic relations at a commemorative event, “India-Malaysia@65”, organized by the Consortium of Indian Industries in Malaysia (CIIM) and Malaysia India Business Council (MIBC) at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Malaysia, Trend reports via ThePrint.

Our relations predate the 65 years of official bilateral relations, the relations between India and Malaysia and the people of India and Malaysia is not just a bilateral relation but a civilizational relation,” Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah said.

The relations between India and Malaysia had grown from Strategic Partnership in 2010 to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership in 2015, with new cooperation in cultural diplomacy, digital economy and agriculture commodity forthcoming, he said.

“During my visit to New Delhi in June 2022, I met India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar at the sidelines of the special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ meeting and discussed possible new cooperation in various fields including cultural diplomacy as well as trade and investment,” Malaysia’s Foreign Minister added.

Over 150 Indian companies have invested $3 billion in Malaysia in various sectors namely biotechnology, financial services, manufacturing, and the textile industry, he noted.

During the “India-Malaysia@65” event, Saifuddin urged Indian companies to expand their operations in Malaysia and make Malaysia their hub in ASEAN due to its strategic location and conducive business environment.

Meanwhile, B.N. Reddy, Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia, has confirmed the 65 years of vibrant ties between India and Malaysia. He said that the Indian diaspora community in Malaysia, the second largest in the world, is living proof of the bond of friendship between India and Malaysia.

The diplomat highlighted the success of the Melaka-Manipal Medical College in Malaysia which is producing close to 15,000 medical doctors in Malaysia to date. On the back of this success, he is looking forward to India’s first offshore campus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Malaysia.