FOURTH MALAYSIA-INDIA DEFENCE COOPERATION MEETING
CONCLUDES
India
and Malaysia have re-affirmed their interest in greater military
training exchanges. Exchanges will also take place for participation
in defence related seminars. Specific proposal on exchange of
instructors would also be worked out by both the countries. This
was agreed to at the fourth Malaysia India Defence Cooperation
(MIDCOM) meeting that concluded here today. Both sides affirmed
their intentions to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation.
During
the meeting, it was agreed to give wider scope for mutually beneficial
cooperation for spares and servicing of defence equipment which
are common to both the countries.
The Malaysian
side indicated that they had constituted a sub-committee on Military
Cooperation and requested India to constitute the same on an ex-officio
basis. This was agreed to by the Indian side.
The 22
member Malaysian delegation was led by Mr. Tan Sri Dato Hashim
Meon, Secretary General, Malaysian Ministry of Defence and the
Indian delegation was led by Shri Subir Dutta, Secretary, Ministry
of Defence.
India
and Malaysia have a long tradition of a close and cordial relationship.
The mutual quest for closer defence relationship led to the 1993
initiative of the mechanism of Malaysia-India Defence Cooperation
Meeting. The 3rd MIDCOM in Malaysia held in January
2001 gave a new impetus to India-Malaysian defence cooperation.
This meeting witnessed the setting up of the sub-committees on
cooperation in the military, defence industry and science and
technology sectors. Many other specific areas have also been identified
by these sub-committees.
An invitation
has been extended to the Malaysian delegation to attend the International
Seminar on SONAR Technology to be organized by Defence Research
and Development Organisation at Kochi in December this year and
also to the forthcoming Aero-India 2003.
The
Malaysian delegates are slated to visit Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited in Bangalore and the National
Defence College in the capital.
The fifth
MIDCOM is scheduled to take place in Malaysia next year.
