The VCOAS will seek to take forward the excellent defence cooperation between India & Malaysia

Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) Lt General BS Raju will meet with the Chief of Staff of the Malaysian Armed Forces and the Deputy Chief of the Malaysian Army to discuss matters of mutual interest during his visit to the country from December 8-10.

"During the visit, the Vice Chief will take forward the excellent defence cooperation between India and Malaysia through multiple meetings with senior military and civilian leadership of the country," the Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday.

Additionally, he will have extensive discussions with the CEO of the Malaysian Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies.

On Friday (November 8), he will also interact with the troops and observe different training exercises that are part of the ongoing joint "Exercise Harimau Shakti" on November 9, 2022.

The Ministry of Defence stated that the VCOAS's visit will further deepen the bilateral relationships between the two Armies and act as a catalyst for closer coordination and cooperation between the two countries on a host of strategic issues.

Given that Malaysia is home to a sizable Indian immigrant population and that India and Malaysia have a number of cultural and historical links that reach back centuries, the two nations get along very well.