The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, addressed a community programme in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, today. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that the warmth of the greetings reflected the beautiful diversity of the shared culture. He thanked his dear friend, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, for joining the community celebration. He noted that the Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, came to the airport to welcome him and brought him to the event in his car. “These special gestures reflected Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s love and respect for India and for the people present”, Shri Modi added.
The Prime Minister said that a record-setting cultural performance with more than 800 dancers performing in perfect harmony would be remembered for years to come and congratulated all the performers. Shri Modi said that he and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had been friends even before he became Prime Minister. He commended Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s focus on reforms, his great intellect, and his able Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025.
Recalling that he could not visit Malaysia for the ASEAN Summit last year, the Prime Minister said that he had promised to visit Malaysia soon and had fulfilled that promise. He noted that this was his first foreign visit in 2026 and expressed happiness at being with the community during the festive period. The Prime Minister said that he hoped everyone had celebrated Sankranti, Pongal and Thaipusam with great joy. He noted that Shivaratri was approaching, followed by the beginning of Ramzan and the celebration of Hari Raya, and wished everyone happiness and good health.
Shri Modi said that Malaysia has the second-largest Indian-origin community in the world and noted that there is much that connects Indian and Malaysian hearts. Referring to the exhibition he had seen a short while ago, he said that it beautifully depicted these connections. “The Indian-origin community is a living bridge linking the two countries. The cultural connections could be seen in shared traditions and flavours, linking Roti Canai with Malabar Parotta and coconut, spices and Teh Tarik, which feel familiar both in Kuala Lumpur and Kochi”, Shri Modi remarked. Shri Modi highlighted that the people of the two countries understand each other well, possibly due to the large number of common words between their languages and Malay, and have heard that Indian movies and music are popular in Malaysia. Shri Modi noted that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sings very well, and it is wonderful that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also loves Tamil songs of the legendary MGR.
The Prime Minister emphasised that India has a special place in the hearts of the Indian-origin community in Malaysia. Recalling an instance from 2001, he said that when an earthquake struck his home state of Gujarat, many members of the community came together to provide help, and he expressed his gratitude to them. “Thousands of ancestors of the community in Malaysia made great sacrifices to make India a free country. Many of them had never seen India but were among the first to join Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army”, Shri Modi underscored. The Prime Minister said that in honour of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the Indian Cultural Centre in Malaysia was renamed after him. He also took the opportunity to salute the efforts of the Netaji Service Centre and the Netaji Welfare Foundation in Malaysia.
The Prime Minister reiterated that the Indian-origin community in Malaysia had preserved its traditions over centuries. He recalled mentioning the community in his Mann Ki Baat programme, where he shared that over 500 schools in Malaysia teach children in Indian languages. “The influence of saints such as Thiruvalluvar and Swami Vivekananda is visible in Malaysia, and the recent Thaipusam celebrations at Batu Caves are divine and comparable to those at Palani”, Shri Modi noted. The Prime Minister said that Garba is popular in Malaysia and added that India deeply cherishes its cultural ties with the Sikh community, which continues to promote the teachings of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Shri Modi stated that Tamil is India’s gift to the world, noting that Tamil literature is eternal, Tamil culture is global, and Tamil people have served humanity through their talents. “India’s Vice President Thiru C.P. Radhakrishnan, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, and Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. Murugan are all from Tamil Nadu” Shri Modi underscored.
The Prime Minister said that members of the Tamil diaspora in Malaysia are serving society in various fields and noted that the Tamil diaspora has been present in Malaysia for many centuries. He said that inspired by this history, India had established the Thiruvalluvar Chair at the University of Malaya and would now set up a Thiruvalluvar centre to further strengthen shared heritage.
The Prime Minister said that India–Malaysia relations are scaling new heights each year. Recalling Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to New Delhi in 2024, he noted that bilateral ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He said that the two countries now walk hand in hand as partners towards progress and prosperity and celebrate each other’s successes as their own.
Shri Modi recalled that he was touched by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s good wishes on the historic success of Chandrayaan-3 and agreed that India’s success is Malaysia’s success and Asia’s success. He said that the guiding word of the relationship is IMPACT—India-Malaysia Partnership for Advancing Collective Transformation—highlighting its impact on the speed of relations, the scale of ambitions, and benefits for the people, adding that both countries can benefit the entire humanity.
The Prime Minister said that Indian companies have always been keen to work with Malaysia, noting India’s role in creating Malaysia’s first and Asia’s largest insulin manufacturing facility. “Over 100 Indian IT companies operate in Malaysia, generating thousands of jobs, and highlighted the Malaysia-India Digital Council as paving new pathways for digital collaboration”, Shri Modi stated. He also announced that India’s UPI system will soon come to Malaysia.
Shri Modi stated that India and Malaysia share the same blue waters of the Indian Ocean and expressed his invitation to all to visit different parts of India. “India’s unprecedented growth in infrastructure, doubling the number of airports in a decade, building highways at record pace, and earning international acclaim for modern trains like the Vande Bharat”, Shri Modi noted. He encouraged more people-to-people visits, including bringing Malaysian friends, as such contact is the cornerstone of the friendship between the two countries.
The Prime Minister said that in the past decade, India has undergone a massive transformation. “From being the 11th largest economy, India is now knocking on the doors of the Top 3 and is the world’s fastest-growing major economy”, Shri Modi highlighted. He noted that Make in India has grown from a sapling to making India the world’s second-largest mobile manufacturer, while defence exports have increased nearly 30 times since 2014. “India has become the third-largest startup hub and built the world’s largest Digital Public Infrastructure and fintech ecosystem, with nearly half of the world’s real-time digital transactions happening through UPI. India’s clean and green growth, noting that solar energy capacity has grown about 40 times in a decade”, Shri Modi emphasised.
The Prime Minister said that India is no longer seen just as a huge market but as a hub for investment and trade, a trusted partner for growth. He added that India has trade deals with the UK, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, Oman, the EU, and the USA, and that trust has become India’s strongest currency.
The Prime Minister said that India will always embrace its diaspora with open arms. He highlighted the historic decision to extend OCI card eligibility to Malaysian citizens of Indian origin up to the 6th generation. Shri Modi reiterated India’s support through the Indian Scholarships Trust Fund and announced the upcoming Thiruvalluvar Scholarships for students to study in India. He also mentioned the Know India Program and the soon-to-be-opened new Consulate of India in Malaysia, which will further strengthen ties.
The Prime Minister said that 1.4 billion Indians aim to build a developed India by 2047, and that the Pravasi Bharatiya community is a valuable partner in this journey. “Whether born in Kuala Lumpur or Kolkata, India lives in the hearts of the diaspora, who are an active part of Malaysia’s and India’s progress and will help realise the vision of prosperous Malaysia and Viksit Bharat”, Shri Modi concluded.
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Malaysia has the second-largest Indian-origin community in the world.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 7, 2026
There is so much that connects Indian and Malaysian hearts: PM @narendramodi in Kuala Lumpur
It is remarkable the way you have preserved traditions over centuries.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 7, 2026
Recently, I spoke in my monthly radio conversation, #MannKiBaat, about you.
I shared with 1.4 billion Indians how over 500 schools in Malaysia teach children in Indian languages: PM @narendramodi during… https://t.co/qRaGSbtR1v
The members of the Tamil diaspora in Malaysia are serving the society in various fields.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 7, 2026
In fact, the Tamil diaspora has been here for many centuries.
Inspired by this history, we are proud to have established the Thiruvalluvar Chair in the University of Malaya.
We will now…
India’s success is Malaysia’s success, it is Asia’s success.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 7, 2026
That is why I say the guiding word of our relationship is IMPACT.
IMPACT means India-Malaysia Partnership for Advancing Collective Transformation: PM @narendramodi
I encourage more of you to travel and experience Incredible India.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 7, 2026
You must also bring your Malay friends with you.
Because people-to-people contact is the cornerstone of our friendship: PM @narendramodi during community programme in Kuala Lumpur.
India is seen as a trusted partner for growth.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 7, 2026
Whether it is the UK, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, Oman, the EU or USA, countries have trade deals with India.
Trust has become India’s strongest currency: PM @narendramodi
