Modi in Malaysia: Warm welcome by Indian community, lunch with PM Anwar

PM Narendra Modi received a warm welcome from the Indian diaspora in Malaysia. He met with PM Anwar Ibrahim, who hosted a lunch where 'Naalai Namathe', a song from an MGR film, was played, delighting Modi and highlighting cultural ties.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on his two-day visit to Malaysia, received a warm welcome from the Indian community and friends of India in Kuala Lumpur. The visit began with meetings, cultural programs, and time spent with members of the Indian diaspora, highlighting the strong people-to-people ties between the two countries.

During the visit, PM Modi attended a lunch hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Saturday evening.

MGR's 'Naalai Namathe' at PM's lunch

PM Modi later posted on his X account about the moment and mentioned the "special song" played during lunch. One of the songs at the lunch hosted by the Malaysian PM was from the 1975 classic Tamil masala film, which starred M.G. Ramachandran (MGR).

At the lunch hosted by my friend, PM Anwar Ibrahim, one of the songs sung was Naalai Namathe, from a movie starring the great MGR! PM Anwar Ibrahim, like several of us in India, is a big fan of MGR!@anwaribrahim pic.twitter.com/lwzqYQqojU — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 8, 2026 In his post, he wrote, "At the lunch hosted by my friend, PM Anwar Ibrahim, one of the songs sung was Naalai Namathe, from a movie starring the great MGR! PM Anwar Ibrahim, like several of us in India, is a big fan of MGR!"

Anwar Ibrahim on Indo-Malaysian friendship

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also shared details of the visit on social media. Part of his tweet read, "On the first day of PM @narendramodi's visit last night, it began with a welcome at the Bunga Raya Complex, before we headed straight to Seri Kembangan to meet the Indian community. May the friendship between Malaysia and India, rooted in cultural, historical, and economic ties that have been intertwined for centuries, continue to blossom and strengthen for mutual benefit." Sekitar hari pertama kunjungan PM @narendramodi semalam, bermula dengan sambutan di Kompleks Bunga Raya, sebelum kami langsung ke Seri Kembangan untuk bertemu komuniti India. Semoga persahabatan Malaysia dan India, yang berakar pada hubungan budaya, sejarah dan ekonomi yang… pic.twitter.com/Lin20sEFaD — Anwar Ibrahim (@anwaribrahim) February 8, 2026

Showcase of Indo-Malaysian cultural links

The reception offered a vivid showcase of India's civilizational legacy thriving far from its shores. Prime Minister Modi witnessed a series of traditional performances, including Nadhaswaram and Thavil recitals, the chanting of Thirumurai devotional hymns, Wayang Kulit shadow puppetry, and a Ramayana-themed Bharatanatyam presentation, reflecting centuries-old cultural links between India and Malaysia. (ANI)

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