NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, agree that any bilateral government-to-government issues must be expedited.
In a joint press conference at Modi's official residence, Hyderabad House, Anwar said issues such as flights, visas and other aspects were found to be somewhat delayed and needed to be expedited.
"I know Modi's work style... he does not tolerate excessive delays. So, we have set a three-month timeframe for our staff to report back to us on the latest developments.
"This is not just any report, but reports on developments. Although my comments may be minor, please be assured that they cover various aspects, ranging from health and education to energy and digital innovation.
"With this commitment, I believe Malaysia and India can emerge as two strong entities reflecting Prime Minister Modi's results-oriented approach," he said.
Anwar emphasised his commitment to proving that Malaysia and India will emerge as two strong and friendly countries in a short period of time.
Meanwhile, based on the fact that Malaysia has the largest Indian-descent population in Southeast Asia, India views the country as a major target for bilateral tourism, especially in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
As such, said Anwar, Malaysia has made a request for additional air traffic rights and routes in India for Malaysian airlines.
Meanwhile, on immigration, at present, Malaysia has provided enjoy visa-free entry into the country for Indian citizens from Dec 1 last year to Dec 31 this year, while India has waived the e-Tourist visa fees from July 1 this year to June 30 next year.
Moving forward, said Anwar, India and Malaysia will work towards a reciprocal visa-free entry arrangement to further facilitate and enhance trade and business activities, as well as international tourism, and will also closely collaborate to streamline procedures to improve travel facilities."