Rajnath Singh meets Malaysia’s top leadership, discusses strengthening of bilateral ties

New Delhi: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Monday met Malaysia's prime minister Anwar Ibrahim and other top leadership to discuss a wide range of issues to bolster bilateral defence and strategic ties.

Singh arrived in Kuala Lumpur on a three-day visit to Malaysia on 9 July.

The defence minister and his Malaysian counterpart Mohamad Hasan discussed initiatives to further expand bilateral defence ties, with particular focus on identifying ways to strengthen industrial cooperation. They reaffirmed their commitment to fully implement the Enhanced Strategic Partnership based on mutual trust and understanding, common interests and shared values of democracy and rule of law.

The two ministers agreed to the next Malaysia-India defence cooperation committee (MIDCOM) meeting which is being planned in India later this year. Rajnath Singh highlighted the potential of the Indian defence industry with capacity and capability to cooperate with Malaysian Armed Forces in its inventory modernisation and maintenance plans.

Both ministers approved amendment in the Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation between India and Malaysia signed in 1993, through ‘Exchange of Letters’ (EoL). This amendment will act as an enabler to expand bilateral defence cooperation in the areas of mutual interest.

Later, the defence minister called on the Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim and briefed him about the fruitful and productive defence dialogue held earlier in the day. The meeting focused on measures to realise the full potential of Enhanced Strategic Partnership.

Rajnath Singh also met with the Foreign Minister of Malaysia Zambry Abdul Kadir.