India, Malaysia to step up military ties

KUALA LUMPUR - India and Malaysia Wednesday agreed to step up military exchanges and also cooperate in counter-terrorism measures.

A joint statement on India-Malaysia Strategic Partnership released during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit that began here Tuesday also underlined the need to expand and deepen relations with a bilateral strategic partnership.

“Both sides agreed to enhance defence exchanges and cooperation through regular exchanges between the defence ministers, senior defence officials, chiefs of the armed services and regular service-to-service staff talks and regular ships visits,” the statement said.

They “agreed to explore the possibilities of joint collaboration on projects of mutual interest in the defence sector on the basis of experience gained by both sides during the successful completion of the SU 30 MKM training programme, including in the areas of industry collaboration and partnership”.

Malaysia said it “looks forward to participation from the Indian defence industry at the soon to be established Malaysian Defence and Security Park. Both sides also agreed to support each other’s defence exhibitions”.

Manmohan Singh and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Tun Razak condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and agreed to enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism, including through information sharing and with a bilateral Joint Working Group to be set up at an early date.

The statement came on the penultimate day of Manmohan Singh’s visit to Malaysia that began Tuesday. The Indian leader flew into Kuala Lumpur from Tokyo and will fly next to Vietnam to take part in the India-ASEAN and East Asia summits.

(Minu Jain can be contacted at minu.jain@ians.in)