Rajnath Singh inaugurates HAL's regional office in Malaysia

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday inaugurated the regional office of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Kuala Lumpur to facilitate close defence industrial collaboration between India and Malaysia, officials said.

It will also serve as a hub for the HAL's engagement with the wider South-East Asian region and act as a window for other Indian defence PSUs, the defence ministry said in a statement.

Singh is currently on a visit to Malaysia, home to the second-largest number of Persons of Indian Origin and also having a significant presence of the NRI community, it said.


Recognising defence exports as a key pillar of sustainable growth of the Indian defence industry, Singh inaugurated the regional office of HAL in Kuala Lumpur on July 11, the statement said.

"This Regional Office will facilitate close defence industrial collaboration between India and Malaysia. It will also serve as a hub for the HAL's engagement with the wider South-East Asian region and act as a window for other Indian Defense PSUs," it added.

The office of India's defence minister also shared pictures of the event.


Malaysia has shown interest in the acquisition of Tejas fighter jets manufactured by HAL.

Singh interacted with the Indian diaspora at two events. The first community interaction included ministers and senior officials of the government of Malaysia and eminent personalities from polity, culture and industry.

The reception was attended by Minister for Human Resources of Malaysia V Siva Kumar and Deputy Minister for Entrepreneurship and Cooperatives Development Saraswathy Kandasami.

The defence minister appreciated the rich legacy of Indian classical art tradition in Malaysia as witnessed in the presentations of Odissi dance as well as the Carnatic and Hindustani music performances by renowned Malaysian artists, officials said.

In a separate event, Singh interacted with the members of the Indian community in Malaysia, including leaders and members of various Indian community organisations in the country. He appreciated their deep-rooted and close connect with India.

Singh also acknowledged the role of the diaspora in the growth story of India and encouraged them to work honestly for the shared prosperity of India and Malaysia, underlining the spirit of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'.

He also visited Ramakrishna Mission in Petaling Jaya and offered floral tributes at the statue of Swami Vivekananda which was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2015.

Singh also visited the iconic Batu Caves temple, Torana Gate at Brickfields, a symbol of friendship between India and Malaysia, and Kortumalai Ganesar Temple in Kuala Lumpur, officials said.