Will deepen defence cooperation with Malaysia: Modi

“We will work with renewed vigour to raise momentum of our partnership”.

“Going further, I want to assure you that India is committed to protect Intellectual Property Rights of all innovators”. India shares with ASEAN a commitment to freedom of navigation, over flight and unimpeded commerce, in accordance with accepted principles of global law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. “This is connecting the two nations and illustrates the two great cultures”, he said while jointly inaugurating the Torana gate with his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak at Brickfields, popularly known as Little India here.

“We will also make our defence cooperation stronger, including for advancing maritime security and strengthening disaster response in our region”.

“I am pleased that we have agreed to upgrade our joint exercises and set up the SU-30 Forum”.

Khobragade’s arrest and strip search provoked an outcry in India and the issue has festered, although US-India relations have strengthened since Modi came to power in May 2014, with both sides stressing shared strategic interests.

Modi lauded Najib for his “farsightedness” in building up the relationship between Malaysia and India.

“India will continue to deepen bilateral security partnerships in Asean and with other EAS partners”.

“Malaysian competence in infrastructure is well known”. Singapore’s Surbana Jurong urban planning group designed the masterplan for the construction of a new smart city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh called Amaravati, which will become the new capital city of that state. IRCON is contributing to development of rail infrastructure here.

Modi is expected to meet chief executive officers from Malaysian companies to explore potential synergies between the private sectors of both countries.

Modi said lifestyle in one part of the world affects climate and agriculture in another part of the world.

He also announced one million United States dollar as additional fund to the corpus of the India-Students Trust Fund. The Prime Minister said every major global institution has placed its bets on India growing strongly. This is a gift of India, but a labour of love for Prime Minister Najib. “Our ties date back to ancient times”.

Today, the global market of Ayurvedic medicines or traditional medicines is estimated at about US$100 billion. We asked ourselves the question Reforms for what? I had the opportunity to speak to them last evening.

“We are defined by diversity and democracy”.

He also sought an early conclusion of a regional comprehensive economic partnership.

“We are eradicating poverty, by giving our people the fruits of modern economy, such as universal access to banks and insurance; not just tie them down in endless programmes”, Modi said and added, “Where in the world will 190 million bank accounts be opened in a few months?”

In this forum, we often thought of terrorism as a peripheral problem for this region.

Without directly referring to Pakistan, he said no country should use or support terrorism.