Kuala lumpur: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have issued a joint statement denouncing all forms of terrorism and advocating for zero tolerance. They emphasized the necessity for coordinated global action to eradicate terrorism comprehensively and sustainably.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Foreign Ministry's statement outlined both leaders' commitment to addressing radicalization, violent extremism, and the financial channels supporting terrorism. The agreement includes enhancing cooperation in information sharing, exchanging best practices, and launching capacity-building initiatives to prevent the misuse of emerging technologies for terrorist purposes.
The statement also highlighted the connection between terrorism and transnational organized crime. Both leaders pledged to collaborate in combating transnational crime through information sharing and best practice exchanges. They acknowledged India's role in the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) framework and its co-chairmanship with Malaysia in the Counter-Terrorism Working Group for 2024-2027.
An invitation was extended to all ADMM-Plus members for the Expert Working Group on Counter Terrorism Table-Top Exercise, co-chaired by India and Malaysia, set to be hosted by Malaysia in 2026. The joint statement further detailed the fifth edition of the India-Malaysia Joint Military Exercise, Harimau Shakti, conducted in Rajasthan last December, and discussed enhanced maritime collaboration through naval visits and exercises including Samudra Laksamana, MILAN, and the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise.
The leaders expressed appreciation for the visit of INS Sahyadri to Kemaman, Malaysia, in October 2025 and INS Sandhayak to Port Klang, Malaysia, in July 2025, while encouraging further expansion of maritime cooperation through goodwill and operational deployments.
On sustainable development, the leaders confirmed their commitment to biodiversity conservation. They noted Malaysia's role as a founding member of the International Big Cat Alliance and pledged to protect big cat species through enhanced bilateral cooperation in research, technology transfer, and capacity building.
Both leaders acknowledged the susceptibility of their countries to natural and man-made disasters, stressing the importance of reinforcing disaster cooperation. This includes the exchange of expertise, personnel training in disaster management, search-and-rescue techniques, and joint exercises.
The economic relationship between the two nations was also underscored, with India being Malaysia's largest trading partner in South Asia. In 2025, trade totaled RM79.49 billion (USD18.59 billion), with Malaysia's exports to India reaching RM52.3 billion (USD12.24 billion) and imports at RM27.19 billion (USD6.35 billion). Key exports comprised palm oil, agricultural products, and electrical goods, while imports were largely agricultural, petroleum, and chemical products.