Editorial-1 (10 February) -Back on Track: On Malaysia–India Ties

Editorial: Back on track — On Malaysia-India Ties

Updated: February 10, 2026

Making amends was at the top of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 24-hour visit to Kuala Lumpur over the weekend after he had cancelled a planned trip to Malaysia last year, at short notice, to attend the ASEAN summit in October 2025. As a result, Mr. Modi said that he made Malaysia his first destination abroad in the new year. His talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who had visited India in 2024, resulted in MoUs, with plans to strengthen ties.

There was some strain in India-Malaysia ties in 2025 too — although Malaysia condemned the Pahalgam terror attacks, Mr. Ibrahim had called for a “full and thorough enquiry” into the perpetrators and also for “de-escalation and meaningful dialogue between India and Pakistan”, which ruffled feathers in New Delhi. He had even offered his services to mediate if required, and in October 2025, had hosted Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif for an official visit. It is, therefore, significant that Mr. Modi set aside these concerns, and that the joint statement said India and Malaysia condemned terrorism unequivocally including cross-border terrorism.

India and Malaysia also discussed counter-terrorism cooperation, intelligence and information sharing and coordinating positions at the United Nations and the Financial Action Task Force on the issue. Other important decisions were an MoU on semiconductors, building on cooperation between IIT Madras Global and the Advanced Semiconductor Academy of Malaysia. Building ties in trade, defence, energy and digital technologies were highlighted by the two sides, that took care not to discuss contentious issues publicly, such as the continued stay of preacher Zakir Naik, wanted in India on UAPA charges.

The two sides also side-stepped their differences over multilateral issues. Mr. Modi’s decision to skip the ASEAN summit despite accepting the invitation had also dealt a blow to negotiations on reviewing the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA). Mr. Modi’s visit was an important reminder of India’s commitment even as New Delhi moves ahead with FTAs with Europe and the U.S. The visit may thus lead to closer coordination and lay the ground for stronger ties between India and the ASEAN region in dealing with larger global changes.

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Important Vocabulary

Amends — सुधार
Synonyms: Correction, Reparation, Compensation

Strain — तनाव
Synonyms: Tension, Pressure, Stress

Condemned — निंदा की
Synonyms: Criticized, Denounced, Censured

Perpetrators — अपराधी
Synonyms: Offenders, Culprits, Wrongdoers

De-escalation — तनाव कम करना
Synonyms: Reduction, Easing, Cooling

Ruffled Feathers — नाराज़गी उत्पन्न करना
Synonyms: Offended, Upset, Annoyed

Mediate — मध्यस्थता करना
Synonyms: Intervene, Negotiate, Arbitrate

Unequivocally — स्पष्ट रूप से
Synonyms: Clearly, Absolutely, Unambiguously

Coordination — समन्वय
Synonyms: Cooperation, Collaboration, Organization

Contentious — विवादास्पद
Synonyms: Disputed, Controversial, Debatable

Multilateral — बहुपक्षीय
Synonyms: Cooperative, Collective, International

Commitment — प्रतिबद्धता
Synonyms: Dedication, Obligation, Promise

Negotiations — वार्ता
Synonyms: Discussions, Talks, Bargaining

Coordination — तालमेल
Synonyms: Synchronization, Cooperation, Alignment