Discussions covered ongoing military engagement, including joint exercises, training programmes, military-to-military exchanges, staff talks, capacity building, maritime cooperation, and collaboration in emerging domains.
The meeting was co-chaired by Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Amitabh Prasad and Assistant Chief of Staff (Defence Operations & Training) of the Malaysian Armed Forces, Maj Gen Amer Mahmud Bin Abdul Rahman.
Both sides noted the smooth conduct of regular bilateral activities and agreed to further strengthen cooperation through enhanced exchanges, greater professional interaction, and increased participation in each other’s training institutions and military courses.
They also explored new areas of collaboration, including defence industry partnerships, defence technology, cyber security, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).
Both countries appreciated their active participation in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) framework and reaffirmed their commitment to practical cooperation under the Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism.
The two sides also exchanged views on regional and global security developments and reiterated their shared commitment to maintaining peace, stability, security, and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific in accordance with international law.
The Strait of Malacca, a key global shipping route, lies between Malaysia and Indonesia, while India’s Nicobar Islands sit near its western approaches. The strait is one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints, carrying a significant share of global trade.
The meeting underscored defence cooperation as a key pillar of the India-Malaysia Enhanced Strategic Partnership, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to deepen ties based on mutual trust, shared interests, and a common vision for a secure and stable Indo-Pacific.
The SCMC is the principal military-to-military consultative mechanism between the two countries and acts as a precursor to the India-Malaysia Defence Cooperation Meeting at the Defence Secretary level. The meeting reviewed progress since the last SCMC and expressed confidence that the outcomes would support further discussions at the upcoming higher-level dialogue.
During the visit, the Malaysian delegation also called on Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. The head of the delegation also paid homage to India’s fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.
