Move quickly to seize India’s ‘early China’ moment, govt urged
Economists are urging Malaysia to strengthen economic ties with India, suggesting that India's rapid growth mirrors China's development in the 1980s. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to meet with Narendra Modi to discuss deepening bilateral trade and strategic partnerships.
Why it matters
As Malaysia seeks to diversify its trade dependencies, India represents a massive, high-growth market that could significantly impact Southeast Asian economic stability.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is expected to meet his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi which begins on Sept 12.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia should move faster to tap India’s economic growth and help Malaysian companies gain a bigger foothold in the market, says an economist.
Yeah Kim Leng.
Yeah Kim Leng of Sunway University said India could become one of Malaysia’s five largest export markets within the next five to 10 years if Malaysia made a concerted effort to deepen its presence there.
Bilateral trade between the two countries hit US$18.6 billion (RM75 billion) last year, making India Malaysia’s 10th largest trading partner. Malaysian exports to India amounted to RM52.3 billion in 2025, up marginally from RM52.13 billion a year earlier.
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