New Delhi, Feb 5 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 7 and 8 at the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the MEA said on Thursday.
The visit will be PM Modi’s third to Malaysia and his first after the state visit of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to India in 2024. It comes within 18 months of India and Malaysia elevating their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
India’s National Payments Corporation (NPCI) is expected to sign an agreement on digital payments during the visit, which is likely to be among the key outcomes.
Asked about controversial preacher Zakir Naik, officials said the issue would be discussed during the visit and that India would continue to pursue the matter until all technical procedures are completed.
The forthcoming visit comes within one and a half years of the elevation of our bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
The visit will also provide an opportunity to enhance our engagement with the ASEAN region, given the important role of Malaysia as its founding member and its chairship of ASEAN, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
During the visit,PM will hold bilateral discussions with the Prime Minister of Malaysia, they will review progress under the India Malaysia comprehensive strategic partnership, especially in priority areas of cooperation such as trade, investments, defense, security, semiconductors, digital technologies, renewable energy, education, healthcare and people to people exchanges.
Modi had earlier participated virtually in the 22nd ASEAN–India Summit held in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 26, 2025, after being unable to travel due to prior engagements. He had conveyed to Prime Minister Anwar his intention to visit Malaysia early in 2026.
Malaysia is India’s third-largest trading partner within ASEAN, with bilateral trade of around USD 20 billion, officials said. Trade has diversified beyond commodities such as palm oil to include agricultural products, chemicals, minerals, machinery and appliances. The two sides are also discussing a joint review of the India–Malaysia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.
“On the investment front, both countries said engagement remains strong and efforts are under way to expand trade in a balanced and sustainable manner,” he said.
Modi will address the Indian community in Malaysia, estimated at about 2.9 million people, which forms the country’s second-largest population of persons of Indian origin and its third-largest Indian diaspora.
During the visit of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to Delhi, the Malaysia India digital council was set up.The Council is working on bilateral collaboration, AI digital talent, AI and cyber security. India is also imparting training to Malaysian officials in the fields of machine learning.
The NPCI is set to sign an agreement with payment during the course of the week, so that will be one of the outcomes expected from the visit.
