KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 — India has expressed strong support for Malaysia’s leadership as Asean chair this year, commending its focus on regional peace, stability and prosperity, said the High Commissioner of India to Malaysia B.N. Reddy.
“India is keen to align with the core themes of Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship - ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’, as well as Asean Centrality,” he said during Bernama TV's 'The Nation Diplomatic Dispatch: Malaysia-India Relations: Then, Now, Next' programme.
Reddy added that India is also seeking to enhance India-Asean connectivity through Myanmar.
“We would like to see a prosperous and stable Myanmar, which is where our alignment comes with Asean,” he said.
Speaking to Bernama after the programme, the High Commissioner noted that Asean-India ties have reached the comprehensive strategic partnership level, and India’s delegation will approach next week’s Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) in Kuala Lumpur with a “positive and constructive” outlook.
India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita is expected to attend the meeting, where India will outline its regional priorities ahead of the Asean-India Summit scheduled for October.
On bilateral ties, he said Malaysia has evolved into a nation with global aspirations and regional responsibilities.
Reddy also highlighted the strong people-to-people ties, noting that Malaysia hosts the largest Indian diaspora outside the United States, with over two million people of Indian origin.
“A partner country like Malaysia is very significant for us. We call Malaysia part of our extended neighbourhood,” he said.
— Bernama
