"I am delighted to be here with members of the Indian community in Malaysia. I believe the Malaysian-Indian community represents the largest concentration of Persons of Indian Origin living outside the Indian sub-continent. This makes our interaction this evening even more significant. However, it is not numbers alone that make you so special. You have, for generations, kept the spirit and the idea of India alive in this home away from home. I commend you for it. I salute you.

The 'Little Indias' which we see in so many towns in Malaysia are more than geographical spaces. They are repositories of the sentiment that links people of Indian origin to their Motherland. I compliment you for the affection that you still have for the land of your ancestors. I salute you too for your commitment to the progress and prosperity in Malaysia. It is a unique characteristic of our people that while being devoted to Mother India, they are also loyal to their new, adopted homeland.

I acknowledge the presence in this hall of the senior Minister and President of the Malaysian Indian Congress, Dato'Seri S. Samy Vellu. We in India know him as a good friend of long standing and high repute. He has made numerous friends in all walks of life in India and constitutes an important bridge between our two countries. He is a great son of Malaysia, and a great friend of India.

While the large migration of Indians to Malaysia during the colonial era provided the bedrock linking our countries, the more recent second wave of skilled professionals has provided an economic impetus which will surely serve us well in the years to come. Your presence in Malaysia will make it easier for us to rapidly upgrade our economic relations to a new, higher level.

The relations between India and Malaysia go back many centuries and have always been characterized by peaceful and productive people-to-people contact and cultural cross-fertilization. Malaysia has been a good host and a society open to influences from abroad. Tolerance of diversity, choosing the best from other civilizations and seeking to blend them into a unique and harmonious culture makes Malaysia truly unique.

We in India, admire Malaysia's achievements. We are proud that the Indian community here has contributed in no small measure to the progress of this beautiful land. Within the space of a single generation, Malaysia has transformed itself into a modern industrialized economy, increasingly looking towards knowledge-based and high technology industries to fuel its future growth and expansion. There are therefore, great similarities among our two countries and indeed, among our perspectives of the world as a whole.

Malaysia is also a moderate and progressive Islamic State which represents a successful development model having relevance for the future in the 21st century. As a modern and industrialized state with business and investor friendly policies, it has shown that Islam and modernity are perfectly compatible. Rejecting the thesis of a 'clash of civilizations' you have shown, like India, that a 'confluence of civilizations' is in fact possible and infact, the only possible to make success in this 21st century.

I bring to you the message that India too is on the move. India is increasingly viewed as a land of opportunities, of new possibilities. Indians are viewed across the world now as a people who respect knowledge, creativity and enterprise. Our vibrant democracy and the well established rule of law have provided a resilient base for steady economic growth with stability. These are free India's biggest assets. Our Government is committed to taking this reform process further. A reform process that emphasizes caring for the common man, ensures that no one is left behind and includes all sections of society in our march forward to progress and prosperity. India was always open to the world culturally; we are now also open economically as well. I invite you to take advantage of this new openness of our economy.

Malaysian firms are now actively participating in the Indian economy, and our bilateral trade is growing satisfactorily. But we cannot be satisfied with the status quo. I would also like to see Indian companies participate in projects in Malaysia. The Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with this country that Prime Minister Badawi and I agreed to initiate, will I sincerely believe, transform the bilateral relationship.

Education is an area that offers immense potential. I am happy to note that a significant proportion of practicing doctors and legal luminaries in Malaysia have obtained professional degrees from Indian universities. However, since the 1980's this trend has slowed down for several reasons. We must not only reinstate our traditional educational linkages but provide them with a fresh momentum. The Government of India will work with you to make this happen.

You will be happy to know that we are concluding an MOU with Malaysia in education, in which Mutual Recognition Arrangements of educational qualifications is an integral component. We will find new projects to replicate the successful twinning experiment between the Melaka-Manipal Medical Colleges. Our Government is considering several proposals to increase the number of seats available to persons of Indian origin in our educational institutions. The idea of establishing an exclusive PIO University is also being considered. The feedback from the PIO community the world over on this initiative has been extremely encouraging.

I invite you to join in the exciting journey of creating a new India, an India that is open to all its children, and India that cares for all, that lives for all, that is home to all. I thank you once again for your kind hospitality in this beautiful city of Kuala Lumpur".