Move quickly to seize India’s ‘early China’ moment, govt urged
Economist Yeah Kim Leng says India could become one of Malaysia’s top five export markets within a decade, as bilateral trade hit US$18.6 billion last year.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is set to meet Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during the upcoming BRICS summit in New Delhi, beginning September 12. Malaysian economist Kim Leng suggests that Malaysia should expedite efforts to capitalize on India's economic growth and expand its presence in the Indian market. If Malaysia deepens its engagement, India could become one of its five largest export destinations within the next five to ten years.
Bilateral trade currently stands at $18.6 billion, making India Malaysia's 10th largest trading partner. Malaysian exports to India totaled RM52.3 billion in 2025, slightly higher than the previous year. India's economy expanded by 7.6% in the 2025-26 financial year, making it the fastest-growing major economy, while its population of 1.5 billion presents access to a vast and crucial consumer market.
Anwar Ibrahim's meeting with Modi aims to further strengthen the economic ties between the two nations, which have been deepening since upgrading their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2024. Trade between the countries reached $18.6 billion last year, with Malaysian exports valued at $12.2 billion. Experts suggest that Malaysian SMEs and mid-cap firms should focus on integrating into India's expanding supply chains as specialized component suppliers, service providers, and technology partners.
This approach, they argue, allows Malaysian companies to leverage their engineering skills, technology, and experience without competing with larger Indian firms.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
