Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was given a grand state welcome Wednesday upon his arrival in Malaysia for a two-day visit.
Dr. Singh, who landed with his wife and a 16-member delegation late Tuesday, was given a red-carpet welcome at the administrative capital of Putrajaya, where he inspected a guard of honour. He was scheduled to hold talks with his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak, with officials saying discussions would centre around trade, education and tourism.
Dr. Singh and his wife were also due to hold an audience with Malaysia’s King Mizan Zainal Abidin.
An estimated 2.5 million ethnic Indians live in Malaysia, about 9 per cent of the population, and Singh was expected to meet with some members of the community later Wednesday.
The trip marks Dr. Singh’s first official visit to Malaysia since taking office, and officials said they hoped it would bring closer trade ties between the two Asian nations.
India was Malaysia’s 12th largest import source and 11th largest export destination last year, with bilateral trade totalling 7.3 billion dollars.
