Malaysia PM Calls New Karnataka CM Shivakumar to Congratulate, Extends Visit Invitation

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday held a telephone conversation with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim , during which the two leaders discussed strengthening ties between Karnataka and Malaysia, particularly in the areas of education , technology , innovation , and people-to-people exchanges .

According to Shivakumar, Anwar Ibrahim called to congratulate him on assuming office as Karnataka Chief Minister earlier this month. Sharing details of the interaction on social media platform X, the Chief Minister described the exchange as warm and cordial.

“Delighted to speak with the Honourable Prime Minister of Malaysia, who called to convey his warm wishes on my new responsibility as Chief Minister of Karnataka,” Shivakumar said.

The two leaders discussed ways to expand bilateral cooperation and build stronger institutional partnerships. Shivakumar noted that a significant number of Malaysian students pursue higher education in Karnataka, providing a strong foundation for deeper engagement in academic, technological and cultural fields.

He said there was immense potential to strengthen collaboration through educational partnerships, innovation-driven initiatives and knowledge-sharing programmes that could benefit both sides.

During the conversation, Shivakumar expressed his desire to visit Malaysia and invited Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to Karnataka. The Malaysian leader also extended an invitation to the Chief Minister to visit Malaysia to explore avenues for future cooperation.

The outreach is seen as part of Malaysia's growing engagement with key southern Indian states. Last month, Anwar had similarly congratulated Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay following his election victory and highlighted the longstanding cultural and people-to-people ties between Malaysia and Tamil Nadu.

The interaction comes days after Shivakumar was sworn in as Karnataka Chief Minister on June 3, following the resignation of Siddaramaiah on May 28. No specific agreements, investment commitments or timelines for reciprocal visits were announced after the call.