BOOSTING MARITIME COOPERATION
This is a priority in Asean-India strategic cooperation, says Najib
A“This strategic cooperation shows the potential that we can obtain through established maritime resources “Asean leaders welcome India’s intention to increase cooperation in this matter. The leaders have decided that this is a priority in Asean-India strategic cooperation.
“I have stressed that Asean and India should continue these efforts, especially in terms of capacity building and information sharing and exchanges to curb and fight maritime crimes, including non-conventional threats, such as terrorism, extremism and piracy,” he said after a dialogue session with all 10 Asean leaders and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday.
Najib is in the Indian capital at the invitation of Modi to attend the Asean-India Commemorative Summit being held in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of Asean-India dialogue relations.
Najib said leaders of the 10 nations in Asean noted that in 2016, Asean-India trade reached US$58.4 billion, accounting for 2.6 per cent of Asean’s total trade.
“This places India as the sixth largest Asean trade partner after China, European Union, Japan, the US and South Korea.”
According to statistics released by the Indian government, Asean-India trade nearly reached US$72 billion last year.
Najib and International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed also witnessed the exchange of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between SME Corporation Malaysia and National Small Industries Corporation India to boost cooperation in the development of small- and mediumsize enterprises in both countries for better competitiveness in international market.
Malamega Ltd Malaysia and Puspathy Enclave Pvt Ltd India exchanged an MoU to explore prospecting and supplying fossil fuels, renewable energy development and joint-venture efforts for coal trade worth US$20 million.
The MoU exchange between JS Rezeki Bumi Maju Sdn Bhd and GA Software Technology Pvt Ltd worth US$5 million was made to provide automation services based on artificial intelligence for the Immigration Department.
The MoU exchange between Orchid Life Sdn Bhd and Vimta Labs Ltd worth US$960,000 was made for pre-clinical and clinical research on Kacip Fatimah extracts for anti-obesity usage.