India plays the BRICS card: Did PM Modi win over Pakistan’s ally Malaysia? | World News
New Delhi: India and Malaysia opened a new chapter in their bilateral relations on Sunday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Kuala Lumpur highlighting strategic cooperation and common security concerns. The summit between Prime Minister Modi and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim highlighted agreements in the fields of security, semiconductors, healthcare, disaster management and education, as well as a strong and coordinated stance against cross-border terrorism.
The joint statements at the summit sent a implicit but clear message to Pakistan about its support for terrorist networks. India and Malaysia have formalized their counter-terrorism partnership with multiple agreements covering digital payments, defense cooperation, technical training, audio-visual cooperation and social security protections for Indian workers in Malaysia.
We had an excellent meeting with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at Seri Perdana earlier today. India and Malaysia are maritime neighbors who have always enjoyed close friendship. We examined development-oriented collaborations in trade, infrastructure, energy, informatics, biotechnology and many other sectors. We… pic.twitter.com/4xfwFSxC8x—Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 8, 2026
Add Zee News as Preferred Source
The leaders also underscored coordinated efforts to curb the financing of terrorism and underlined zero tolerance for extremist activities. Officials said Prime Minister Modi appreciated the Malaysian Prime Minister’s commitment to continue close cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
On the defense front, both countries discussed strengthening ties through the India-Malaysia Defense Cooperation Committee and its subcommittees, including the establishment of specialized working groups and the Su-30 forum. The cooperation aims to deepen military-industrial interaction and enhance maritime and air security.
He spoke at a joint press conference with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. @anwaribrahim
https://t.co/rmTah9GYpZ—Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 8, 2026
Semiconductors and technology received particular attention, with both parties reaffirming ongoing collaborations between IIT Madras Global and Malaysia’s Advanced Semiconductor Academy, as well as industry-level partnerships between the Indian Electronics and Semiconductor Association and the Malaysian Semiconductor Industry Association.
These initiatives aim to create joint capabilities in chip production and strengthen supply chains.
BRICS was an important topic during the visit. Malaysia welcomed India’s BRICS leadership in 2026, and India supported Malaysia’s role as a BRICS partner while also accepting its bid to join the group. Both leaders described their cooperation as an important step towards a fairer and more balanced global order.
The visit also coincided with Pakistan Navy Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf visiting Malaysia to meet Royal Malaysian Navy leaders. Discussions were held on regional maritime security, joint exercises, information sharing and combating threats such as piracy and terrorism. Their official statements emphasized strengthening professional maritime ties and expanding maritime cooperation for mutual benefit.
Historically, Malaysia and Pakistan have maintained close diplomatic and defense relations since 1957. Kola Lumpur had previously supported Islamabad on Kashmir-related issues and questioned India’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed brought up Kashmir at the UN General Assembly, criticized India’s actions and suggested cooperation with Pakistan to resolve the disputes. Malaysia has also questioned the need for the CAA, citing possible discrimination against Muslim communities.
I am sharing my words during my meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. @anwaribrahim https://t.co/nTN7gCub0s—Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 8, 2026
Prime Minister Modi’s visit strengthened India’s strategic footprint in Southeast Asia, enabling Malaysia to become a key partner of ASEAN. India is seeking investment from Malaysia in its semiconductor mission, while positioning the Tejas fighter jet and BrahMos missile as potential exports. Trade ties are also important as India imports the bulk of its palm oil from Malaysia and exports refined petroleum, aluminium, sugar, meat and pharmaceuticals.
The Indian community in Malaysia, numbering approximately 2.7-2.8 million people, adds another layer to the people-to-people connection between the two countries.
