India and Malaysia held the 12th Sub Committee Meeting on Military Cooperation (SCMC) on Wednesday, where both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral military cooperation and agreed to further deepen their defence ties. The meeting, co-chaired by Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Amitabh Prasad and Assistant Chief of Staff of the Malaysian Armed Forces Maj Gen Amer Mahmud Bin Abdul Rahman, covered ongoing defence engagements including military-to-military exchanges, bilateral exercises, training, staff talks, capacity building, maritime cooperation, and cooperation in emerging domains.
Review of Bilateral Military Cooperation
According to a press statement from the Ministry of Defence, the two sides expressed satisfaction with the steady progress achieved in bilateral military cooperation. They discussed opportunities for expanding collaboration in defence industry, defence technology, cyber security, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Both sides acknowledged the successful conduct of regular bilateral activities and agreed to further strengthen cooperation between their defence forces through enhanced exchanges, professional interactions, and increased participation in each other's military courses and training institutions.
Commitment to ASEAN and Regional Security
The two sides appreciated each other's active participation in the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) framework. They reaffirmed their commitment to working closely in promoting practical cooperation under the Experts' Working Group on Counter-Terrorism. The statement also noted that both sides 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.
Strategic Partnership and Future Engagements
The meeting underscored the importance of strengthening defence cooperation as a key pillar of the India-Malaysia Enhanced Strategic Partnership. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further deepening bilateral defence ties based on mutual trust, shared interests, and a common vision for a secure, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. The SCMC serves as the principal military-to-military consultative mechanism between the two countries and is the precursor to the India-Malaysia Defence Cooperation Meeting held at the level of Defence Secretary. The meeting reviewed the progress made since the last SCMC and expressed confidence that the outcomes would provide a strong foundation for productive deliberations at the forthcoming India-Malaysia Defence Cooperation Meeting.
Delegation Activities
The visiting Malaysian delegation also called on Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and visited the DPSU Bhawan at World Trade Centre, New Delhi. Prior to the meeting, the head of the Malaysian delegation paid homage to India's fallen heroes by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.
