The 12th meeting of the Malaysia-India Defence Cooperation Committee (MIDCOM) took place in New Delhi. Co-chaired by Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane and Malaysia’s Deputy Secretary General (Policy) Mr. Mohd Yani bin Daud, the meeting witnessed a comprehensive review of outcomes from recent sub-committee meetings.
During the 12th Malaysia-India Defence Cooperation Committee (MIDCOM) meeting, both nations reviewed their existing defence cooperation and deliberated on regional and mutual concerns. They jointly agreed to form a Strategic Affairs working Group (SAWG) to enhance consultative mechanisms between MIDCOM and its sub-committees.
The meeting underscored the deepening collaboration in emerging fields like cyber security and global commons issues. Opportunities for strengthened cooperation were identified, particularly in the realms of defence industry, maritime security, and multilateral engagements.
Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane presented an 8-point proposal aimed at deepening cooperation in areas like government-to-government engagement, tri-service cooperation, training, UN peacekeeping, bilateral services engagement, defence industrial cooperation, research and development, and regional/sub-regional engagements.
The meeting emphasized the potential for collaboration between the Indian domestic defence industry and the Malaysian Armed Forces, especially in shipbuilding and maintenance. Both sides expressed confidence in the capabilities of the Indian defence industry and explored possibilities for joint efforts in defence industry development.
India and Malaysia reaffirmed their commitment to the Enhanced Strategic Partnership, rooted in mutual trust, shared values of democracy and rule of law, and common interests.
As part of their visit, the Malaysian delegation engaged with officials from the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and identified areas of mutual interest. The delegation is scheduled to visit Mumbai on September 20, 2023, for interactions at Mazagaon Dockyard Limited and Headquarters, Western Naval Command.