Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan at a wellness centre in Chelembra on Monday during his two-day visit to the state. He later met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and businesspersons before leaving from Karipur airport for the Maldives in the evening.
Ibrahim had arrived in Kerala on Sunday evening after attending the BRICS conference in New Delhi. During the visit, he attended programmes in Kozhikode, stayed at the wellness centre in Chelembra, and held discussions on economic cooperation, trade, investment and other areas of partnership.
According to details shared by the Kerala Public Relations Department, Satheesan reached the centre by helicopter at around 2.30 pm for the meeting with the Malaysian prime minister. Indian Union Muslim League leaders Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal and PK Kunhalikutty, who is also Kerala’s Industries Minister, were present, according to pictures shared by the PRD. Satheesan presented Ibrahim with a traditional Kathakali-themed memento, while Ibrahim also gave a gift to the chief minister.
Later, Ibrahim shared pictures of the meeting on Facebook and said, “This meeting provided space for us to exchange views on the great potential of Kerala in strengthening the Malaysia-India relationship, particularly through economic cooperation and increased trade and investment.” He added, “We explored cooperation and opportunities in the fields of digital economy, healthcare, tourism, education and high-value sectors. Business relations, people-to-people exchanges and close historical and cultural interconnections need to be strengthened.” He also invited Satheesan to visit Malaysia to continue the discussions and turn the potential for cooperation into more concrete outcomes for the people of both countries.
Satheesan also shared pictures from the meeting on social media. In a post on X, he said, “An absolute honour to welcome the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, to Kerala. Our historic cultural ties and the vibrant Malayali diaspora in Malaysia continue to anchor our enduring partnership. Held productive discussions on expanding cooperation in IT, sustainable tourism, higher education, and trade.”
Governor Arlekar later met Ibrahim and held discussions with him. In videos shared by the PRD, Arlekar was seen presenting a book to the Malaysian leader. He also hosted a meeting with businesspersons from Kerala and neighbouring states.
On Sunday night, Ibrahim met prominent Sunni scholar and Indian Grand Mufti Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar in Kozhikode. Kanthapuram presented him with the first Excellence Award instituted by the Sheikh Abu Bakar Foundation at an event held at Karanthur Markaz in Kunnamangalam. Ibrahim later visited the Madavoor C M Valiyaullahi Maqam, a pilgrimage centre in Kozhikode, along with Kanthapuram, before returning to stay at the wellness centre in Chelembra.
According to a PRD statement, Ibrahim left for the Maldives at 7.15 pm, ending his two-day visit to Kerala. Malappuram District Collector Vinoy Goyal led the farewell on behalf of the state government, while Malappuram District Police Chief Chaitra Teresa John, State Protocol Officer Aravind Pillai and External Affairs Ministry representative Vijayakumar were among those present. The visit included meetings with the chief minister, the governor and businesspersons, as well as discussions on closer cooperation between Kerala and Malaysia.
– Ends
Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Sep 14, 2026 21:29 IST
