Shri V. Muraleedharan, Minister of State (MOS) for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs of India, paid an official visit to Negara Brunei Darussalam from 30-31 May 2023 and to Malaysia from 1-2 June 2023.
During his visit to Brunei, MOS was engaged with Indian diaspora members in the country. It is estimated that over 14,000 Indians have made Brunei their home. MOS was witnesses cultural performances organised by Indian Associations in Brunei as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) celebrations.
This was the first visit of MOS to Brunei and also the first Ministerial visit from India to the country since October 2019.
In Malaysia, he held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mr. Datuk Mohamad bin Alamin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia. MOS was also met H.E. Mr. V. Sivakumar, Minister of Human Resources of Malaysia.
MOS was taken part in the inauguration of the first ever Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) Day -Malaysia (Aprawasi Diwas) and was launched the PIO International Festival held from 2-4 June 2023. He was addressed the Indian community and diaspora at the ‘Pravasiya Bharatiya Utsav’. With 2.75 million PIOs, Malaysia is home to the second largest PIO population in the world.
MOS was delivered a key-note address at an International Conference titled “India-ASEAN Dynamics in the Emerging Indo-Pacific Order: Pathways to Cooperation beyond the Third Decade”, organized by the High Commission of India in Kuala Lumpur in collaboration with Centre for ASEAN Regionalism University Malaya (CARUM) and Asia Europe Institute (AEI). He was also interacted with leaders of Indian community associations and leading business associations of India and Malaysia.
This was the first Ministerial visit to Malaysia after the formation of new Government in Malaysia in November 2022.