New Delhi: The 12th meeting of the India-Malaysia Sub-Committee on Military Cooperation (SCMC) was held in New Delhi on July 1, 2026. The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, India, and Major General Amer Mahmud bin Abdul Rahman, Assistant Chief of Staff (Defence Operations and Training) of the Malaysian Armed Forces.
Both sides reviewed their bilateral military cooperation, welcomed its steady progress, and discussed defense-related matters, including exchanges, joint exercises, training, maritime cooperation, capacity building, and new emerging areas. Both sides welcomed the successful conduct of bilateral activities and agreed to further strengthen defense cooperation through increased exchanges, training, and collaboration in the areas of defense industry, technology, cybersecurity, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.
Both sides appreciated each other’s active participation in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) framework and reiterated their commitment to working together to foster practical cooperation under the Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism. They also exchanged views on regional and global security developments and reaffirmed their shared commitment to maintaining peace, stability, security, and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific in accordance with international law.
During the meeting, defense cooperation was reaffirmed as a key pillar of the India-Malaysia ‘Enhanced Strategic Partnership,’ and both sides pledged to further strengthen bilateral defense ties.
The SCMC serves as the primary mechanism for army-to-army consultations between the two countries and acts as a precursor to the India-Malaysia Defence Cooperation Meeting held at the Defence Secretary level. The meeting reviewed the progress made since the last SCMC and expressed confidence that its outcomes would lay a strong foundation for meaningful discussions at the upcoming India-Malaysia Defence Cooperation Meeting.
The visiting delegation also met with Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh and toured the DPSU building located at the World Trade Centre in New Delhi. Prior to the meeting, the head of the Malaysian delegation paid tribute to India’s fallen heroes by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi. (PIB)
