By Abbas Nazil
India and Malaysia have agreed to deepen their defence collaboration by forming a “joint focus group” to address non-traditional maritime security threats.
This agreement was reached during the 13th Malaysia-India Defence Cooperation Committee (MIDCOM) meeting held in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, February 19.
Both nations also committed to enhancing cooperation in emerging areas such as cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence (AI), marking a new phase in their strategic partnership.
The meeting, co-chaired by India’s Defence Secretary, Rajesh Kumar Singh, and Malaysia’s Defence Secretary General, Lokman Hakim Bin Ali, emphasized the need to expand bilateral defence engagements.
Discussions covered a broad range of security issues, including multilateral engagements and defence industry collaborations.
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to fully implementing the defence initiatives under the comprehensive strategic partnership established during Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to India in August 2024.
Both sides exchanged finalized terms of reference (ToR) for the establishment of a strategic affairs working group.
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This forum will act as an intermediate consultative mechanism between MIDCOM and its sub-committees to enhance bilateral defence cooperation.
Another key outcome of the meeting was the establishment of the Su-30 forum, which will facilitate cooperation between the air forces of both nations in the maintenance and operational expertise of the Su-30 fighter aircraft.
India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh highlighted the capabilities of the Indian defence industry, emphasizing opportunities for collaboration with Malaysian companies and armed forces in modernization and capability enhancement.
He congratulated Malaysia on assuming the chairmanship of ASEAN and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), extending India’s support for Malaysia’s role in fostering a unified and prosperous ASEAN.
Singh reiterated India’s commitment to ASEAN centrality and unity as crucial to India’s Indo-Pacific vision.
Malaysia is considered a significant partner in India’s foreign policy framework, aligning with the Act East Policy, SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.
As part of this growing defence relationship, both nations are focusing on practical initiatives to bolster security cooperation, particularly in maritime security and defence industry collaboration.
With these agreements, India and Malaysia aim to strengthen their defence ties in response to evolving regional and global security dynamics.
The newly established joint focus group will play a crucial role in tackling emerging maritime security threats, further solidifying the strategic partnership between the two nations.
