Prime Minister Narendra Modi said- India will deepen defence cooperation with

Promising to build better ties between the two countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak said that efforts will be made with “renewed vigour” to maintain the momentum of the partnership.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome here as he entered the bilateral phase of his visit to Malaysia on Monday, the third day of his visit to this southeast Asian nation.

Modi, who reached Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, attended the 13th Asean-India Summit and the 10th East Asia Summit.

Malaysia and India share a common position in combating terrorism and extremism, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

While addressing the Indian Diaspora at worldwide Exhibition and Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, Modi told expat Indians that terrorism is the “biggest threat” to the world and it should be delinked from religion.

“Whenever he (Modi) speaks, he underlines the assumption that India was born and grew up from adolescence to youth to old age and achieved everything in 18 months”.

“This is not something that is sculpted in stone but highlights rich cultural diversity between both countries”, he said.

The iconic structure located at the heart of Little India is a token of friendship to the people of Malaysia by the government of India.

To broaden the scope of security cooperation, the two countries will upgrade the level and complexity of defence exercises as well as expand collaboration in defence training, Modi said.

The prime minister said he was grateful for Malayia’s decision to improve security cooperation with India.

“Just as China’s rise has driven the global economy, the world looks to China to help advance global and regional peace and stability”, he said. “We must delink terrorism from religion, and assert the human values that define every faith”, he added.

“We hope to achieve the same on our path to modernity and economic development”, he said.

Modi said he was very pleased with India-Malaysia’s excellent and growing cooperation in traditional medicine including ayurveda and siddha. Among them will be an agreement on further defence cooperation as the two nations already enjoy a close defence relationship.

Prime Minister Modi wants Malaysian businesses to invest in India’s 100 Smart Cities projects.

Najib said the gateway was a gift from India and a labour of love.

The Indian Air Force had deployed a team in Malaysia to train its pilots on the Su-30SKM aircraft from 2008 to 2010.