In a significant diplomatic development, Malaysia has rejected Pakistan’s request to cancel the Operation Sindoor outreach programmes led by a high-profile Indian parliamentary delegation. According to sources quoted by India Today TV, Pakistan had attempted to leverage religious ties to persuade Malaysia to withdraw support for the delegation’s events, arguing, “We are an Islamic country, you are an Islamic country... don’t listen to the Indian delegation.” This plea was reportedly made by the Pakistani embassy in Kuala Lumpur, with additional references to the "Kashmir matter in the UN."
However, the Malaysian government stood firm and declined to entertain Pakistan’s request. Instead, it fully endorsed all ten scheduled events organized by the Indian delegation, which included cross-party representation and high-level discussions on India’s counter-terror strategy. This firm stance by Malaysia is being interpreted in New Delhi as a sign of growing diplomatic maturity and bilateral trust between India and Malaysia.
Malaysia was the final stop of the delegation’s five-nation tour, which previously included Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Indonesia. The nine-member Indian delegation, led by JDU MP Sanjay Jha, included prominent figures such as BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lal, Pradan Baruah, and Hemang Joshi; TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee; CPM’s John Brittas; Congress’s Salman Khurshid; and former Indian ambassador to Bahrain and France, Mohan Kumar.
In Kuala Lumpur, the delegation held a key meeting with Malaysia’s People’s Justice Party (PKR), headed by YB Sim Tze Tzin, a former minister in Mahathir Mohamad’s cabinet. During these exchanges, Indian MPs presented a united front, underlining India’s resolute position against terrorism through Operation Sindoor — a recent strategic initiative involving precision strikes against terror launchpads in Pakistan. The delegation emphasized that India’s counter-terror doctrine has evolved into a "new normal," where proactive and proportionate military responses are a legitimate and necessary part of national defense.
Speaking at a diaspora outreach in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee stated unequivocally that India should only consider any engagement with Pakistan “when it is ready to hand over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK),” reflecting a growing consensus across party lines on territorial integrity and cross-border terrorism.
Upon his return, Sanjay Jha shared with PTI that leaders in all five countries visited during the tour expressed solidarity with India in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and lauded the precision and decisiveness of India’s retaliatory strikes. He noted that these interactions helped reinforce global understanding of India’s security priorities and its unwavering commitment to eliminating terrorism.
This episode also reflects a shift in Malaysia’s diplomatic posture. While past governments under Mahathir Mohamad were critical of India’s Kashmir policy, the current leadership appears more pragmatic and willing to engage India on mutual strategic interests, especially in the areas of counter-terrorism, regional security, and diaspora engagement.
