India and Malaysia on Saturday said that the fight against terrorism should go beyond eliminating terrorists and terror networs to take tough action against states which sponsor terror group and glorify terrorism.
"Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to peace and stability in the region" and "there should be no glorification of terrorists as martyrs," said the Joint Statement after Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Najib Razak held talks along with their delegations.
Modi and Razak held a one-on-one meeting ahead of the delegation-level talks.
Welcoming the ongoing cooperation on counter terrorism, the two nations "agreed to further enhance cooperation in this direction" and recognised the need "to address the challenges posed by terrorism, and other traditional and non-traditional threats."
The two leaders noted "the increasing cooperation under the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding on Cyber Security between the two countries".
On regional security, the statement reaffirmed the importance of strategic engagement of India in regional initiatives and stability in the region, while appreciating the growing engagement between India and ASEAN, especially in light of India's 'Act East' policy.
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On the South China dispute, the two nations expressed the need for the freedom of navigation and lawful commerce as stated in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982 and urged all parties to resolve disputes through peaceful means without resorting to threat or use of force, exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities, and avoid unilateral actions that raise tensions.
Taking note of India's aspirations for permanent membership of a reformed United Nations Security Council, the statement urged for quick and comprehensive reform of the United Nations.
In the 60th anniversary of India-Malaysia diplomatic relations, the nations agreed to take the strategic partnership, established in October 2010, to the next level to a truly multi-dimensional partnership, through regular summits.
The joint statement recognised the growth in defence cooperation between the two countries.
India and Malaysia signed Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation in 1993.
The Royal Malaysian Air Force and Indian Air Force are working on setting up of the Aircraft Safety and Maintenance Forum for cooperation in training while the two sides welcomed proposal of joint naval exercises.
The two sides also agreed to hold joint Army exercise 'HARIMAU SHAKTI' at the company level, and subsequently as tri-services exercises.
Both sides also agreed to enhance the regular dialogue between the Defence Ministers, senior officials, and service chiefs, as well as regular meetings of the Joint Commission headed by the Foreign Ministers.
The statement recognised the need to finalise the Regional Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Partnership Agreement at an early date. Stressing the importance of the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement in providing the foundation for economic cooperation, they agreed to enhance cooperation in the financial sector including through participation on each other's capital market.
They agreed to look forward to grant commercial banking licences to each other's banks and collaborate in the Small and Medium Enterprise sector of each other.
On the cooperation in the field of traditional medicine, like ayurveda and siddha, they welcomed the signing of an MoU between Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia and National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur, in December 2016 for cooperation in the field of education, training, research and popularisation of ayurveda in Malaysia.
A chair for ayurveda will also be set up in the Malaysian university, it said.
The two sides welcomed the signing of bilateral Air Services Agreement which would enhance air connectivity between the two countries.
India welcomed the initiative by Malaysia to expand the visa-free programme to Indian nationals from April 1, 2017 until March 31, 2018 under the Electronic Travel Registration and Information system.
On his third official visit to India, Razak arrived in Chennai on Thursday on a six-day visit and reched New Delhi on Friday evening.
He will visit Jaipur on Sunday where he will meet Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia.
--IANS
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