DD Correspondent
New Delhi: India and Malaysia reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral military cooperation during the 12th India-Malaysia Sub Committee Meeting on Military Cooperation (SCMC) held in New Delhi on Wednesday, reaffirming their shared commitment to peace, security and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific.
The meeting was co-chaired by Joint Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Shri Amitabh Prasad, and Assistant Chief of Staff (Defence Operations & Training) of the Malaysian Armed Forces, Maj Gen Amer Mahmud Bin Abdul Rahman.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the steady progress in defence cooperation and reviewed ongoing engagements, including military-to-military exchanges, bilateral exercises, training programmes, staff talks, capacity building, maritime cooperation and collaboration in emerging domains.
The delegations agreed to further strengthen cooperation between their armed forces through enhanced exchanges, professional interactions and greater participation in each other’s military courses and training institutions. They also explored opportunities to expand collaboration in defence industry, defence technology, cyber security, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).
India and Malaysia appreciated each other’s active participation in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) framework and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting practical cooperation under the Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism.
The two sides also exchanged views on regional and global security developments and reiterated their shared commitment to maintaining peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific in accordance with international law.
The meeting underscored the importance of defence cooperation as a key pillar of the India-Malaysia Enhanced Strategic Partnership. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral defence ties based on mutual trust, shared interests and a common vision for a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
The SCMC serves as the principal military-to-military consultative mechanism between India and Malaysia and precedes the India-Malaysia Defence Cooperation Meeting, which is held at the Defence Secretary level. The meeting reviewed the progress made since the previous SCMC and expressed confidence that its outcomes would lay a strong foundation for the forthcoming Defence Cooperation Meeting.
During the visit, the Malaysian delegation also called on Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh and visited the DPSU Bhawan at the World Trade Centre, New Delhi. Earlier, the head of the Malaysian delegation paid tribute to India’s fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial.