Prime Minister Modi leaves for a two-day visit to Malaysia to strengthen bilateral ties — What's on the agenda?

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday departed for a two-day visit to Malaysia, where he will hold bilateral talks with his counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim. This will be PM Modi’s third visit to Malaysia and his first since bilateral ties were upgraded to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” in August 2024, the Ministry of External Affairs stated.

India is looking at opportunities for collaboration across the defence sector during the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Modi to Malaysia, with the sale of Dornier aircraft, maintenance of Scorpene submarines and SU-30 aircraft, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

What's in the itinerary? Check PM Modi's schedule here

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday, February 7, 2026, where he will be welcomed and received by the community at the Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre.

On Sunday, February 8, the official events will begin with a welcome ceremony at the Perdana Putra Building, the office of the Malaysian Prime Minister, followed by a visit to Seri Perdana, the Malaysian PM’s residence.

The schedule will include a one-on-one meeting, delegation-level talks, and the exchange of MoUs, concluding with press statements. The visit will also feature an official lunch banquet hosted by the Prime Minister of Malaysia before PM Modi departs for India.

During his visit, PM Modi will also interact with the members of the Indian diaspora in Malaysia and other business representatives.

India-Malaysia relations

India established diplomatic relations with the Federation of Malaya, the predecessor of modern Malaysia, in 1957. The two countries shared a strong bond in the 1960s, largely due to the personal friendship between Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, according to MEA.

At the people-to-people level, there is significant goodwill toward India in Malaysia, which is home to approximately 2.75 million Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs). This makes it the second-largest PIO community globally, after the United States, and the third-largest Indian diaspora worldwide, numbering 2.9 million.

India’s main exports to Malaysia include mineral fuels and oils, aluminium and related products, meat and edible offal, iron and steel, copper and related articles, organic chemicals, nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances, as well as electrical machinery and equipment.

India’s key imports from Malaysia consist of palm oil, mineral fuels and oils, electrical machinery and equipment, animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products, and nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery, and mechanical appliances.

Malaysia is an important partner for India in the ASEAN and in the Indo-Pacific region and a key pillar in India's Act East Policy.

Torana Gate is a gift from India to Malaysia

The Torana Gate, situated at Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, is a gift from India to Malaysia as a mark of continued friendship between the two countries. The Torana Gate was inaugurated jointly by Narendra Modi, PM of India and Najib Razak, the then PM of Malaysia, on November 23, 2015.

India-Malaysia diplomatic ties were elevated to the status of 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership' during the visit of Anwar Ibrahim to India from 19-21 August 2024.

PM Modi had also met Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the margins of the BRICS Summit in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, on July 6, 2025.

PM Modi also participated virtually in the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit convened in Kuala Lumpur on October 26, 2025. The two Prime Ministers also interacted over a telephone call on October 22, 2025.