Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is part of the Bharatiya Janatha Party, the ruling political party of India, is currently on a 3-day diplomatic visit in Malaysia. The minister has expressed that the reason for the visit is to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations. The visit has so far been organised incredibly well, with efficient collaboration between the two nations and the collective armed forces of the navy, army, and air force. The Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia, Mr. BN Reddy, had expressed that the meeting between Rajnath and his Malaysian counterpart, Mohamad Hasan, was crucial, for it would create a calculated aim for the defence of the two nations. The two nations had signed a bilateral defence cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 1993, and both Rajnath and Mohamad Hasan have agreed to strengthen the defence ties of the two nations by amending the memorandum and signing the Exchange of Letter. The two leaders also mutually acknowledge that they will explore methods by which Malaysia and India can utilise interoperability in the defence domains of land, sea, and air.
The Indian Defence Minister also had a diplomatic meeting with the Prime Minister of Malaysia, YB Dato’ Sri Anwar bin Ibrahim. The two discussed in depth the international situation of politics, approaches on the bilateral defence of the two nations, and their shared view on the sustainability of peace and harmony.
Rajnath also visited the coveted Batu Caves Murugan Temple, where he received a warm welcome from important individuals. Tan Sri R. Nadaraja, the leader of the Kuala Lumpur Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, had exchanged gifts with the Defence Minister as a form of fraternity. The temple committee leader had expressed that this visit by Rajnath to Batu Caves Temple is a momentous one that gives pride to the Indian diaspora that resides in Malaysia. Tan Sri R. Nadaraja further expressed that he had shared a letter with the defence minister containing details about the upcoming cultural centre that will be open soon and that it would be much appreciated if India made a contribution to it. In response to that, the Indian minister stated that he would definitely try to aid in the matter.
Furthermore, the Defence Minister had revealed a bust of Bose in the presence of Tamil INA veterans in Kuala Lumpur. One such veteran was the 99-year-old Second Lieutenant Sundaram, who had bravely fought at the border of Burma. During World War 2, the Tamils that resided in Malaysia and Singapore gave their blood, sweat, and tears to the anti-imperialist struggle against both the British and the Japanese. Many Tamils, both men and women, had selflessly joined the Indian National Army, helmed by Subhas Chandra Bose, to fight against the British.
Source: The Sun, Malay Mail, Bernama
