India, Malaysia review expanding defence ties at 12th Military Cooperation Meeting
New Delhi. India and Malaysia on July 1 reviewed the full spectrum of their bilateral military cooperation during the 12th meeting of the India-Malaysia Sub Committee on Military Cooperation (SCMC) held in New Delhi, reaffirming their commitment to deepen defence ties and promote stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The meeting was co-chaired by Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Amitabh Prasad and Assistant Chief of Staff (Defence Operations and Training) of the Malaysian Armed Forces, Major General Amer Mahmud Bin Abdul Rahman.
The two sides expressed satisfaction over the steady progress in defence relations and held discussions on a range of ongoing military engagements, including bilateral exercises, military exchanges, training programmes, staff talks, capacity building initiatives and maritime cooperation. Cooperation in emerging domains also featured prominently in the discussions.
Both countries agreed to further strengthen interactions between their armed forces through increased professional exchanges and greater participation in each other’s military courses and training institutions. They also explored opportunities to expand collaboration in defence manufacturing, defence technology, cybersecurity and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
India and Malaysia appreciated each other’s active participation in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus framework and reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing practical cooperation under the Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism.
The two delegations also exchanged views on regional and global security developments and reiterated their shared commitment to preserving peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific in accordance with international law.
The discussions highlighted the growing importance of defence cooperation as a key pillar of the India-Malaysia Enhanced Strategic Partnership, with both sides reaffirming their intention to further deepen military ties based on mutual trust, shared interests and a common vision for a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
The SCMC serves as the principal military-to-military consultative mechanism between India and Malaysia and acts as a preparatory platform for the India-Malaysia Defence Cooperation Meeting, which is held at the level of Defence Secretary. Officials reviewed progress made since the last SCMC meeting and expressed confidence that the outcomes of the latest meeting would contribute to productive deliberations at the upcoming defence cooperation dialogue.
During the visit, the Malaysian delegation called on Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and visited DPSU Bhawan at the World Trade Centre in New Delhi. Earlier, the head of the Malaysian delegation paid tribute to Indian military personnel who made the supreme sacrifice by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in the national capital.
