Kuala Lumpur, February 7
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day Malaysia visit began on a note of warmth, culture and shared heritage on Saturday, as he was accorded an enthusiastic welcome by the Indian community and friends of India in Kuala Lumpur, marking the first day of his official engagements in the country.
The reception offered a vivid showcase of India's civilisational legacy thriving far from its shores. Prime Minister Modi witnessed a series of traditional performances, including Nadhaswaram and Thavil recitals, the chanting of Thirumurai devotional hymns, Wayang Kulit shadow puppetry, and a Ramayana-themed Bharatanatyam presentation, reflecting centuries-old cultural links between India and Malaysia.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the Prime Minister greeted members of the diaspora and conveyed the good wishes of India, noting that the shared warmth, cultural vibrancy and togetherness made the interaction deeply memorable.
"Embracing the warmth of our extended family abroad," the MEA stated in their post on X.
"PM greeted them and conveyed the good wishes of India. The shared warmth, cultural vibrancy and togetherness made the interaction truly memorable," the MEA's post added.
During his welcome reception, PM Modi watched a Wayang Kulit puppet performance titled 'Titah Seri Rama' by artists from Akademi Arjunasukma.
Sharing details on X, the Prime Minister said the performance beautifully reflected the common cultural threads binding India and Malaysia and highlighted the timeless resonance of the Ramayana across countries.
"The performance beautifully reflected the shared cultural threads that connect us and also highlighted the timeless resonance of the Ramayan across countries," the Prime Minister stated in a post on X.
The Prime Minister also witnessed a Ramayana-themed Bharatanatyam performance by dancers from the Temple of Fine Arts, Kuala Lumpur, and a Silambam martial arts demonstration by the Malaysian Silambam Porrkalai Council.
Describing the experience as a celebration of people-to-people linkages, PM Modi, in a separate post on X, said that these expressions of tradition showed how India's shared civilisational heritage continues to flourish across generations and geographies.
"In Kuala Lumpur, I saw several diverse aspects of our people-to-people linkages. This includes a Ramayan-themed Bharatanatyam performance by dancers from the Temple of Fine Arts, Kuala Lumpur and a Silambam martial arts demonstration by the Malaysian Silambam Porrkalai Council. These vibrant expressions of tradition beautifully reflect how our shared civilisational heritage continues to flourish across generations and geographies," PM Modi said in a post on X.
Earlier in the evening, PM Modi met with a delegation from the Malaysia India Heritage Society and praised their efforts to promote Indian culture in Malaysia.
He noted that he had highlighted their work during a recent episode of Mann Ki Baat, and the delegation presented him with a book documenting the role of Sanskrit in strengthening historical ties between India and Malaysia.
Another highlight of the day-one engagements was the recitation of Tirumurai devotional songs by students of the Malaysia Hindu Sangam. Commending the Tamil community, PM Modi said their efforts to preserve and popularise their heritage over the years were truly commendable.
"A group of students from the Malaysia Hindu Sangam recited Tirumurai devotional songs. It is commendable how the Tamil community in Malaysia has preserved and popularised their heritage over the last several years," the PM stated in another post.
The cultural welcome on the first day of the Prime Minister's visit to Malaysia set the tone for engagements focused on people-to-people ties, soft-power diplomacy, and the enduring cultural bonds that underpin the India-Malaysia relationship.
He also took part in a community event called "Selamat Datang Modiji", where he addressed approximately 12,000 members of the diaspora and reflected on the deep-rooted civilisational and cultural connections that bind India and Malaysia, describing the Indian diaspora as a "living bridge" linking the hearts of the two countries.
The Prime Minister's visit to the Southeast Asian country is from February 7 to February 8, during which the PM will hold bilateral talks with his Malaysian counterpart, Ibrahim Anwar.
The visit marks his third visit to Malaysia and the first since bilateral relations were elevated to a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" in August 2024.
India is exploring opportunities for collaboration across the defence sector during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Malaysia, including the sale of Dornier aircraft, maintenance of Scorpene submarines and SU-30 aircraft, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
During his visit, PM Modi will also interact with other business representatives in Malaysia.
- ANI
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