KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s relationship with India is growing from ‘strength to strength’, said Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia, Mridul Kumar.
Describing India’s relations with Malaysia as an ‘eternal bond’, the envoy said the 2.7 million-strong Indian diaspora here forms the bedrock of the mutually beneficial engagement.
“India-Malaysia relationship is growing from strength to strength. In recent times, we have become each other’s top trading partners globally and our trade continues to flourish and is at an all-time high,” he said in his speech at the 71st Indian republic day reception which was attended by some 1,000 people including several cabinet ministers, political party leaders, foreign diplomats and corporate leaders here on Wednesday (Jan 29).
Commenting further, the envoy said the diaspora’s contribution to Malaysia and their deep respect to their motherland – India – forms an important aspect of New Delhi-Kuala Lumpur bilateral relationship – established in 1957.
“Indians, as much as others who live here, helped shape modern Malaysia through their toil and relentless hard work. No one can forget the ultimate sacrifice Indian sepoys made to protect the Peninsula during World War 2,” he said.
On education, Mridul said some 55 bright deserving Malaysian Indian students received scholarships worth over RM250,000 as of late last year through the Indian Scholarship and Trust Fund.
“Under our Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) development partnership programme fully sponsored by our government, we provide short and medium-term training courses to Malaysian nationals in areas ranging from remote sensing to cyber technology and Artificial Intelligence,” he added.
— BERNAMA
