On terrorism, no double standards, no compromise: PM Modi in Malaysia, Pg1

Key Highlights:

• PM Modi and Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim met to strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing, and maritime security.
• Both leaders condemned terrorism in all forms, including cross-border terrorism, advocating for zero tolerance.
• They agreed to counter radicalization, combat terror financing, and prevent the use of new technologies for terrorist purposes.
• 11 cooperation agreements were sealed, including on semiconductors, disaster management, and peacekeeping.
• Both countries aim to promote local-currency settlement, hoping to surpass last year's $18.6 billion in bilateral trade.

Detailed Insights:

• The meeting signifies Malaysia's shift towards prioritizing its bilateral relationship with India, contrasting past alignment with Pakistan on issues like Kashmir.
• Discussions included expanding defense cooperation, collaboration in AI, digital technologies, semiconductors, health, and food security.
• Both nations recognized the link between terrorism and transnational organized crime, agreeing to cooperate through information sharing.
• India highlighted the Indo-Pacific region's emergence as a global growth engine, emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation.
• Cooperation will extend to social security for Indian workers, audio-visual collaboration, and tourism, enhancing people-to-people connections.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Counter-terrorism: Proactive measures to prevent, deter, and respond to terrorist acts.
• Radicalization: The process by which individuals or groups adopt extremist ideologies.
• Bilateral Ties: Diplomatic, economic, or cultural connections between two countries.