- PM Modi addresses Indian community during Malaysia visit
- Calls diaspora a “living bridge” between the two nations
- Announces UPI rollout and new Indian consulate in Malaysia
- Highlights India’s economic rise and vision of Viksit Bharat 2047
GG News Bureau
Kuala Lumpur, 8th Feb: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed the Indian community in Kuala Lumpur, calling them a “living bridge” between India and Malaysia and underlining the deep cultural, historical and economic ties between the two countries.
Welcoming the gathering in multiple Indian languages, the Prime Minister thanked Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for joining the community celebration and for his warm gesture of personally receiving him at the airport.
He described the Indian-origin population in Malaysia as one of the largest in the world and said their contributions had strengthened the bonds between the two nations. He recalled the role of the diaspora in supporting India during difficult times, including the Gujarat earthquake, and their participation in the freedom struggle through Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army.
The Prime Minister highlighted the strong cultural links between the two countries, noting the popularity of Indian languages, films, music and festivals in Malaysia. He said more than 500 schools in the country teach Indian languages and praised the diaspora for preserving traditions over generations.
Emphasising the growing bilateral partnership, he said India and Malaysia elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2024 and are now moving forward with what he described as the “IMPACT” framework—India-Malaysia Partnership for Advancing Collective Transformation.
The Prime Minister announced that India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) would soon be launched in Malaysia, and said over 100 Indian IT companies were already operating there, generating thousands of jobs. He also announced the opening of a new Indian consulate in Malaysia to improve services for the diaspora.
Highlighting India’s economic transformation, the Prime Minister said the country had moved from being the 11th largest economy a decade ago to approaching the top three. He cited achievements in digital payments, manufacturing, startups and renewable energy, and said trust had become India’s strongest global currency.
He also announced the extension of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card eligibility to Malaysian citizens of Indian origin up to the sixth generation, along with new scholarship initiatives and cultural programmes.
Calling on the diaspora to play a role in India’s journey, the Prime Minister said that 1.4 billion Indians were working toward the goal of a developed nation by 2047 and that overseas Indians would be key partners in that mission.
