KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised Malaysia’s strategic importance in India’s Vision MAHASAGAR and Act East Policy.
The statement came during a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit in Brazil.
Modi shared details of their discussion on his X account, noting that both leaders reviewed progress in bilateral relations since Anwar’s visit to India last year.
“Bilateral ties are growing strongly in futuristic sectors like IT, renewable energy and infrastructure,“ he said. The leaders also explored ways to enhance investment and trade between the two nations.
Vision MAHASAGAR, or “Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions,” was introduced by Modi during his visit to Mauritius in March. It expands on India’s earlier SAGAR policy, which has shaped the country’s engagement with the Indian Ocean region since 2015.
Malaysia participated in the BRICS Summit as a partner country and current ASEAN chair. The event marked the first gathering of leaders from BRICS member and partner nations since the group’s expansion in 2023. Originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, BRICS now includes South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Indonesia recently joined as a full member, while Malaysia and nine others were accepted as partner countries. - Bernama