Modi’s 2026 trip to Kuala Lumpur reaffirms recalibration of bilateral ties but this must be sustained
In 2027, Malaysia and India will mark 70 years of diplomatic ties – a milestone in every sense of the word. With the elevation of ties to comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP) in 2024 during Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s maiden visit to India and with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit last week, it is undeniable that Malaysia-India ties have truly reached a new and refreshed status quo.
The optics and messaging were certainly compelling. After missing the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur last year, Modi’s visit not only made up for the absence but ensured that the value both leaders accorded to ties was on full display – whether through the endearing camaraderie, the mega community event held in honour of Modi or the key takeaways from both leaders’ speeches. The aspiration for bilateral cooperation to be in tune with new age realities was encapsulated in Modi’s usage of the acronym IMPACT or India-Malaysia Partnership for Advancing Collective Transformation. Indeed, their joint statement reflects this objective, building on the initial provisions in the 2024 joint statement on the Malaysia-India CSP.
It must be noted that in the lead up to PM Modi’s visit and during his visit itself, there was an overwhelming focus on the cultural, linguistic, civilisational, historical and people-to-people linkages that form the bedrock of ties. There was also an emphasis on exploring complementarities in the semiconductor sector and enhanced cooperation in digital economy and fintech among others, to reflect the desire to align and collaborate to address shared current challenges. The announcement of a new Indian consulate in Sabah was a significant development.
Against this backdrop, while there were several positive outcomes, some important narratives and efforts that were responsible in putting bilateral ties back on track since the brief diplomatic row in 2019, were visibly missing. The “cultural connect” took centre stage and while that is good for the masses, for popular sentiment and for headlines, it did not capture the nuanced and multi-dimensional nature of contemporary relations deliberately shaped by visionary agencies, people and ideas, in the last six years.
For example, when Anwar was in New Delhi in 2024, he highlighted that “stronger Malaysia-India ties are consequential to a better connected Global South” – hinting that greater functional ties and more creative means of cooperation would be central to Global South mobilisation efforts. This, through contemplative bilateral alignment within multilateral mechanisms, such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association and bilaterally driven inter-regionalism between ASEAN and BIMSTEC. The fact that there was not even a semblance of these opportunities mentioned in the joint statement raises the question if both countries still see value in anchoring ties to a greater purpose – connecting the Global South. If not, this remains a missed opportunity to make bilateral relations regionally relevant, especially when the potential for this is clear.
In this context, the focus on cultural affinity and commonalities in the Malaysia-India bilateral must be an enabler and not the main driver – lest it risks regression to a time when relations were present and potent, but passive. Making ties fit for the times means using strengths indigenous to the partnership but for a greater purpose that allows both countries to shape institutions and frameworks that are central to the regional architecture.
One must remember that the “C” and “S” in CSP stands for “comprehensive” and “strategic”. Not “cultural” and “sociocultural”. This is especially true for Malaysia-India ties.
It was also clear during this visit that India was unable to project the “first responder” role that it is looking to build in the region with more conviction. Beyond the memorandum of understanding on cooperation in disaster management and a detailed mention of food security cooperation, it may be that New Delhi has not yet explored the possibility of cooperation with partners like Putrajaya to further strengthen its first responder role-building efforts beyond the bilateral relationship.
And certainly, prospects for this exist if regional dynamics and influence, security imperatives and challenges are considered for the long run. A good opportunity for cooperation here could be bilateral alignment in the approach to the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar but also for India to leverage on Malaysia’s role in ASEAN to facilitate a regionally accepted structured approach for engagement with Myanmar in terms of aid. It is noteworthy that India has allocated 300 crore rupees (RM131 million) in financial aid for Myanmar in the 2026-27 budget. How this would be disbursed after the recent elections remains unclear. Bilateral consultations on these developments would be valuable in anticipating regional security trends in the following months.
A new era in Malaysia-India ties must be less about rhetoric and more about the reset – especially after the conscious work that was put into this elevation – an unthinkable feat as recent as five years ago. The bilateral must shape the region considering the growing profile of India as a rising regional power and Malaysia as a re-emergent force in Southeast Asia. Moving forward, the Malaysia-India CSP must account for joint, mindful efforts towards regional good. The cultural and civilisational connect should only strengthen this shared resolve.
An abridged version of this article first appeared in The Indian Express in February 2026
