Malaysia aims to deepen collaboration with India in semiconductors, renewable energy and tourism as bilateral trade reaches US$18.59 billion.
NEW DELHI: Malaysia is seeking to strengthen strategic collaboration with India across several high-potential sectors, including semiconductors, renewable energy, human resource development and tourism, said Malaysian High Commissioner to India Datuk Muzafar Shah Mustafa (pic).
He said the growing importance of India in the global economic landscape presents significant opportunities for Malaysia to deepen bilateral and regional cooperation with the South Asian nation.
India is expected to move from the current position as the fourth-largest economy to third in a few years.
“So I think there’s a lot of potential for us to strengthen our collaboration with India in terms of our regional and also our bilateral trade with India,” he told reporters in a briefing here yesterday.
He said India is expected to emerge as a dominant player in global affairs, making it increasingly important for Malaysia to expand cooperation in areas of common interest.
“No doubt, India is going to be a very dominant power in global affairs. So I think there’s a lot of potential, so we need to look into different areas, not only the economy but also other areas of common interest with India,” he said.
Muzafar Shah said bilateral relations between Malaysia and India had entered a new phase following the elevation of ties from an Enhanced Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2024.
He said both countries had signed various memorandum of understandings (MOUs) during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to India, as well as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Malaysia.
“So I think we have already signed various MOUs during our prime minister’s visit, as well as Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Malaysia.
“We want to enhance our relationship with India by the implementation of the various MOUs that we have signed because it covers a lot of areas of interest between Malaysia and India,” he said.
India is Malaysia’s largest trading partner in South Asia, with bilateral trade totalling US$18.59 billion (US$1=RM3.93) in 2025, up from US$18.25 billion in 2024.
Malaysia’s exports to India amounted to US$12.24 billion, while imports from India totalled US$6.35 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of US$5.9 billion.
Malaysia’s main exports to India include palm oil and palm-based products, electrical and electronic goods, metal products, chemicals, and machinery and equipment, while its main imports from India include agricultural products, petroleum products, chemicals, metal products, and electrical and electronic goods.
Total bilateral investment between Malaysia and India reached US$5.6 billion, with Malaysian companies such as Petronas, UMW, and Salcon operating in India, and Indian companies such as HAL operating in Malaysia.
