KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 26 — India’s exports to Malaysia in the first nine months of last year (2020) increased by 6.5 per cent to US$4.6 billion (RM18.6 billion) compared to the same corresponding period in 2019 in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic, says India’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Mridul Kumar.

He said India’s imports from Malaysia during the same period reached US$5 billion.

"In recent times, we have become each other’s top trading partners globally,” he said in his special address in conjunction with the 72nd Republic Day of India, today.

Mridul said India has reached out to Malaysia right from the early days of the pandemic, supplying medicines (Hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol) and other essential products to help the Malaysian public.

"We will continue with our collaboration in fighting the pandemic,” he added.

The high commissioner stressed that Malaysia was among the first set of ten countries to be included in the Vande Bharat Mission, the largest repatriation exercise ever carried out by the Indian Government.

To date, he said, 166 flights have operated from Malaysia to various destinations in India.

"As a reliable friend, India also facilitated the operation of 42 flights by the Malaysian side to enable over 4,700 Malaysians stranded in India to return home,” said Mridul.

The envoy expressed his sincere gratitude to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, and Senior Minister (Security Cluster) cum Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and all Malaysian officials from concerned ministries for their support towards the repatriation exercise.

The high commission celebrated the 72nd Republic Day of India virtually, in strict compliance with the ongoing movement control order (MCO) and prevailing standard operating procedures due to the Covid-19 situation in Malaysia.

Despite the restrictions, the virtual platform enabled hundreds of nonresident Indians and overseas Indian communities joining the celebrations online.

The celebrations commenced in the morning today with the unfurling of the National Flag by Mridul and a virtual reception in the evening with the video rendition of national anthems of India and Malaysia.

There was also a video presentation of patriotic medley by the Malaysian students of the Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre, and curated pieces on the history of India-Malaysia relations from yesteryear until recent times. — Bernama