Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that India’s digital payments platform UPI will soon be introduced in Malaysia, as he began a two-day visit to the country aimed at strengthening economic, defence and people-to-people ties between the two nations.

PM Modi arrived in Kuala Lumpur on his first foreign visit of 2026, underlining India’s continued focus on expanding its comprehensive strategic partnership with Malaysia. The visit comes at a time when cooperation between India and Malaysia has been steadily growing, especially after both countries elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in August 2024.

During his visit, the Prime Minister attended a community programme in Kuala Lumpur along with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, highlighting the close people-to-people ties shared by both nations.

Speaking about the Indian diaspora in Malaysia, PM Modi praised their contribution and role in strengthening bilateral relations. He had earlier said, “I am also eager to meet the Indian community in Malaysia. Numbering nearly three million, they represent one of the largest Indian diasporas in the world.” He further added, “Their immense contribution to Malaysia’s progress and their role as a living bridge between our two nations provide a strong foundation to our historic friendship.”

At the diaspora event, PM Modi expressed gratitude to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for attending the programme and for the warm gestures shown during the visit. He said the Malaysian Prime Minister personally came to the airport to welcome him and also travelled with him to the community event venue. Modi described this as a reflection of Anwar Ibrahim’s respect and affection for India and the Indian community. He called it a reflection of “his love and respect for India and for all of you”.

PM Modi also recalled his earlier commitment to visit Malaysia, mentioning that he was unable to travel last year. He said, “Last year, I could not visit Malaysia for the ASEAN Summit. But I promised my friend that I will come to Malaysia soon. As promised, I am here. This is my first foreign visit in 2026.”

During the programme, PM Modi also praised the large cultural performance staged by the Indian diaspora. He said, “We have just seen a record-setting cultural performance. 800 dancers in perfect harmony. This performance will be remembered by our people for years to come. I congratulate all the performers.”

Highlighting the cultural connection between the two countries, PM Modi described the Indian-origin community in Malaysia as a “living bridge” between India and Malaysia. He spoke about shared traditions, including similarities in food and language, and also mentioned the popularity of Indian films and music in Malaysia. Modi also noted Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s interest in Indian songs, including Tamil songs of legendary actor and politician MGR.

In his departure statement, PM Modi said the visit would help push forward stronger defence cooperation and greater economic engagement. He is expected to hold wide-ranging talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and discussions are likely to lead to several agreements aimed at expanding cooperation across sectors.

Speaking about the direction of bilateral ties, Modi said, “The historic ties between India and Malaysia have seen steadfast progress in recent years. I look forward to my discussions with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and further enhancing our comprehensive strategic partnership.” He further added, “We will aim to deepen our defence and security ties, enhance our economic and innovation partnership, and expand our collaboration into new domains.”

During the delegation-level discussions, India is also expected to once again raise the issue of the extradition of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik to Malaysia.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also spoke about the significance of the Prime Minister’s visit and said the visit includes a “rich agenda” that will strengthen the special partnership between the two countries. He said the visit will provide a major boost to the relationship between India and Malaysia.

The Prime Minister’s visit is expected to bring fresh momentum to India–Malaysia relations, with digital payments, economic engagement and defence collaboration emerging as key focus areas. The announcement about UPI’s upcoming launch in Malaysia was one of the major highlights, reflecting India’s efforts to expand its digital payment systems globally and deepen cooperation with partner nations.

The two-day visit is also being seen as an important step towards building stronger strategic ties, as both countries continue to expand collaboration in multiple areas. With the Indian diaspora playing an active role in Malaysia’s progress, PM Modi stressed that their presence continues to strengthen the historic friendship between India and Malaysia.