Inaugural India-Malaysia Security Dialogue held in New Delhi

The inaugural India-Malaysia Security Dialogue was held in New Delhi on January 7, 2025, co-chaired by Shri Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of India, and Raja Dato Nushirwan Bin Zainal Abidin, Director General of the National Security Council of Malaysia, an official press release by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated.

This high-level meeting marked a significant step in strengthening bilateral cooperation in security and defence between the two nations.

During the dialogue, both sides discussed the global and regional security landscape and assessed their ongoing partnerships in the areas of security, defence, and maritime operations.

Key agreements were reached to enhance collaboration in counter-terrorism, de-radicalisation, cyber security, defence industries, and maritime security, as per the official MEA press release.

Additionally, they explored opportunities for joint efforts in the critical minerals and rare earths sectors. A major outcome of the meeting was the decision to institutionalise the dialogue through annual meetings, ensuring continuity and progress in bilateral engagements.

This dialogue stems from the August 2024 visit of Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim to India at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the press release stated.

During that visit, the bilateral relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reflecting both nations’ commitment to deepening ties across multiple domains. Strengthening security cooperation was a key focus of the leaders’ discussions, which laid the groundwork for this historic meeting.

India and Malaysia share a long-standing bilateral relationship that dates back to 1957 when India established diplomatic ties with the Federation of Malaya, Malaysia’s predecessor state. In the 1960s, this bond was reinforced through the personal friendship between then-Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra.

Over the years, successive Malaysian leaders, including PM Abdullah Badawi and former PM Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Abdul Razak, have introduced initiatives to foster closer ties with India.

The people-to-people connection remains a cornerstone of the relationship, with Malaysia hosting approximately 2.75 million Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), making it home to the second-largest PIO community globally. Additionally, tourism plays a vital role in enhancing bilateral ties.

India is the fifth-largest source of tourists to Malaysia, with visa-free travel for Indian nationals introduced in December 2023 and Malaysia granted gratis tourist visas to Indian travellers in July 2024. With over 200 weekly flights connecting the two countries, the collaboration in civil aviation and tourism sectors continues to flourish.