Tension Between India and Malaysia over Kashmir

Read Time:5 Minute, 5 Second

Imran Khan became the Prime Minister of Pakistan in August last year and visited Malaysia in November.

Three months before Imran Khan, 92-year-old Mahathir Mohammad again became the Prime Minister of Malaysia in 2018. Corruption was the biggest issue in Imran and Mahathir’s election campaign. Along with this, the debt of China in both countries was also increased immensely.

Mahathir is a keen player of politics. He had previously been in power from 1981 to 2003. At the same time, Imran Khan was only a cricket player before. Mahathir stopped China’s $ 22 billion projects as soon as he came and said that it was unnecessary.

On the other hand, Imran Khan showed as much indifference to China’s $ 60 billion projects in Pakistan under One Belt One Road as did Nawaz Sharif.

When Imran Khan reached Kuala Lumpur on November 2018, he was welcomed like a rockstar. Imran Khan said that both Malaysia and Pakistan are standing on a path.

Jugalbandi of Imran and Mahathir

Imran Khan had said, “The people have been entrusted to me and Mahathir by being free from corruption. We are both struggling with debt problems. We can come together and deal with our problems. Mahathir has brought Malaysia on the path of progress. We hope that we will learn from Mahathir’s experience. “Both are Muslim-majority countries.

This was the beginning of Imran Khan and the close of Malaysia. When India and Pakistan became tense, Imran Khan called Mahathir Mohammad. It is said that in Imran Khan’s initial foreign tour, Malaysia was the only country from which Imran Khan did not ask for a loan.

Pakistan came closest to Malaysia during the rule of Mahathir Mohammad. The Economic Partnership Agreement was signed between Pakistan and Malaysia in 2007.

On Imran Khan’s visit, Mahathir had pledged to help Pakistan in energy security. On 5 August, when India announced the end of the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir, Mahathir was one of the heads of the nation, who called and received support by Imran Khan.

Malaysia was also with Pakistan when the Kashmir issue went to the UN Security Council. Even the Malaysian Prime Minister raised the issue of Kashmir and besieged India at the United Nations General Assembly last month. For India, it was nothing short of a shock.

Why Pakistan with Malaysia?

Why is Malaysia with Pakistan? “There has been a good relationship between Malaysia and Pakistan for a long time,” said Ravichandran Dakshinamurthy, an expert on strategic studies at the National University of Malaysia from the South China Morning Post. After the independence of Malaysia in 1957, Pakistan was among those countries which first recognized it as a sovereign country.

Ravichandran said, “Both Pakistan and Malaysia are connected with many Islamic organizations and cooperation. China’s case is completely different concerning these two. The relations between Malaysia and China are quite normal but the relationship between Pakistan and China is very special. China is the largest arms supplier in Pakistan and the relationship between the two countries is not good with India. The relationship with Pakistan was good as long as it was in power.

India is the largest importer of food oils. Given India’s stand, the Prime Minister of Malaysia said on Sunday that bilateral trade relations with India will be reviewed. He had said that India also exports to Malaysia and the business relationship of the two is bilateral and not one-sided.

India expressed a lot of resentment over Malaysia’s stand on Kashmir and now it is being said that the trade relations of the two countries may also be affected. According to news agency Reuters, Mahatir Mohammad has said that his government will review bilateral relations with India.

India may limit palm oil imports from Malaysia, according to a Reuters report. With this, India can also reconsider the import of other items from Malaysia.

Mahathir had said in the UN General Assembly that India has kept Kashmir under its occupation. However, there is no comment on this from the government.

Purchase stopped in anticipation of an increase in import duty
According to Reuters, Indian refiners have stopped buying palm oil from Malaysia for shipment in November and December. According to the agency, they fear that the Indian government may increase the import duty. There is a fear that the Indian government may take more steps to stop it.

On Monday, five traders told Reuters that they stopped buying palm oil for shipment in November-December. India has been a big buyer of Malaysia’s palm oil.

Malaysia’s palm oil industry may be affected by this attitude of India. According to this report, Indonesia may benefit from this decision in India.

Reuters contacted the Ministry of Commerce of India in this matter but did not receive any reply. The Mumbai-based businessman told Reuters, “We need clarification before doing business with Malaysia.” If there is no explanation from the government, then we will start a business from Indonesia. Sandeep Bajoria, CEO of Vegetable Oil Company in Mumbai, said, “Businesses on both sides are Confused. We do not know what is going to happen.

Large consumption of palm oil in India

Palm oil accounts for two-thirds of the oils used in food in India. India imports 9 million tonnes of palm oil every year and mainly from Malaysia and Indonesia.

In the first nine months of 2019, India imported 3 million tonnes of palm oil from Malaysia. According to the data of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, India’s monthly import from Malaysia is 43,000 thousand tonnes.

India is the largest importer of food oils. Considering India’s stand, the Prime Minister of Malaysia said on Sunday that bilateral trade relations with India will be reviewed. He had said that India also exports to Malaysia and the business relationship of the two is bilateral and not one-sided.

As long as Mahathir remains in power, relations with Pakistan have been good. After his retirement in 2003, Malaysia grew closer to India. Last year, when there was a surprise return of Mahathir again, it again grew close to Pakistan.