India trusted partner for growth, says PM Modi in Malaysia citing trade deals with various countries

Referring to the trade deals India agreed with various countries, the prime minister said India is seen as a "trusted partner for growth".

New Delhi: India’s trade deals with the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and others reflect its transformation from being just a huge market into a hub for investment and commerce, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, noting that the world had started to see the country as a trusted partner.

“Trust has become India’s strongest currency,” Modi said, addressing the Indian diaspora in Malaysia at an event in Kuala Lumpur. “Earlier,” he said, “India was seen just as a huge market. Now, we are a hub for investment and trade. India is seen as a trusted partner for growth. Whether it is the UK, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, Oman, the EU or the USA, countries have trade deals with India.”

The prime minister made the comment just a few hours after India and the US issued a joint statement, announcing that they had reached a framework for an interim agreement on “reciprocal, mutually beneficial trade”.

India and the European Union announced the conclusion of negotiations for a free trade agreement on January 27. This followed the signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Oman on December 18 and the conclusion of negotiations for a free trade agreement with New Zealand on December 22.

Earlier, India signed a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the UK in July 2025, a CEPA with the UAE in February 2022, and an interim trade deal with Australia in December 2022, which is now set to be expanded into a broader Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.

As Modi landed in Kuala Lumpur for a two-day visit, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia personally received him at the airport.

Ibrahim also joined Modi at the congregation of the Indian diaspora in Malaysia.

Malaysia is home to over 2.9 million members of the Indian diaspora, which is the third-largest in the world. Among the special initiatives taken recently for their welfare are the extension of the OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card facility to the sixth generation of Indian-origin people living in Malaysia, and the replenishment of the Indian Scholarships Trust Fund (ISTF) with 3 million Ringgit Malaysia for the benefit of the Malaysian Indian students.

Modi announced India’s decision to open its first Consulate in Malaysia, in addition to the High Commission of India in the capital of the Southeast Asian nation.