India and Malaysia upgraded to comprehensive strategic partnership

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim have upgraded the relationship between the two countries to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

The Straits Times reported that Anwar visited New Delhi on Tuesday (August 20) and held extensive talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on defense, trade and investment.

Anwar is the first Malaysian prime minister to visit India in nearly six years. India is seeking to deepen its ties with Southeast Asia, while Malaysia wants to tap into the opportunities offered by the world's fifth-largest economy.

Speaking after the talks, Modi said Anwar's visit had "set a new direction for relations between the two countries".

"We have decided to upgrade our partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership," Modi said. We believe that there is still much potential for economic cooperation.

"We should strengthen mutual cooperation in new technologies such as semiconductors, fintech, the defense industry, artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum. We stress the need to expedite the review of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement between India and Malaysia."

Anwar referred to Modi as his friend in Hindi and said the two "spoke freely" in discussions.

Anwar said: "We are aware that we have to further strengthen our relationship in a number of areas... Including military cooperation on joint operations to defend our borders."

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, Modi and Anwar said, "Both sides agreed to further expand cooperation in the defense industry and defense research and development."

India has sought to strengthen defence ties with Southeast Asia amid rising border tensions with China, which is also embroiled in disputes with some ASEAN members in the South China Sea.