Ahead of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday shared a thoughtful reminder of India’s diplomatic past. Ramesh shared how the Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had paid a heartfelt tribute when former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh passed away in December 2024. He said the gesture reflected the warmth and depth of India-Malaysia ties during Singh’s leadership.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ramesh shared a screenshot of the Malaysian PM’s social media post and wrote, “As the Prime Minister prepares to have his summit meeting with ASEAN leaders under the chairmanship of the Malaysian PM shortly, it is worth recalling what the Malaysian Prime Minister himself had said on the demise of Dr Manmohan Singh last December.
Adding to it, he mentioned that this “true friendship was never advertised or boasted about” and that “it was very deep”.
As the Prime Minister prepares to have his summit meeting with ASEAN leaders under the chairmanship of the Malaysian PM shortly, it is worth recalling what the Malaysian Prime Minister himself had said on the demise of Dr. Manmohan Singh last December. This reflected TRUE… pic.twitter.com/1wzi0y5yoI
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) October 26, 2025
Malaysia’s heartfelt tribute to Manmohan Singh
In his post from 2024 the Malaysian PM wrote, “The weight of grief bears down on me at the news of the passing of my honoured and cherished friend: Dr Manmohan Singh. Obituaries, essays and books a plenty there will surely be about this great man, celebrating him as the architect of India’s economic reforms. As Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh was the midwife of India’s emergence as one of the world’s economic giants”.
He further wrote, “In those dark days, as I navigated the labyrinth of imprisonment, he (Manmohan Singh) stood by me as a true friend. Such acts of quiet magnanimity defined him, and they will remain etched in my heart forever. Goodbye, my mitra, my bhai, Manmohan”.
The weight of grief bears down on me at the news of the passing of my honoured and cherished friend: Dr Manmohan Singh.
Obituaries, essays and books a plenty there will surely be about this great man, celebrating him as the architect of India’s economic reforms. As Prime… pic.twitter.com/44bA3s7vst
— Anwar Ibrahim (@anwaribrahim) December 27, 2024
Ramesh’s remarks come as India renews its focus on Southeast Asia – a region central to Dr Singh’s ‘Look East’ policy, which helped build today’s strong partnership with ASEAN.
PM Modi addresses ASEAN Summit virtually
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday virtually addressed the 47th ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, where he congratulated Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for chairing the event and described ASEAN as a key pillar of India’s Act East Policy.
“India and ASEAN together represent almost a quarter of the world’s population. We do not just share geography; we are also connected by the thread of deep historical ties and shared values. We are fellow travellers of the Global South,” PM Modi said at the global summit.
PM Modi also praised the Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos for serving as India’s country coordinator and welcomed East Timor as the newest member of ASEAN. During his address, he expressed condolences to Thailand on the passing of Queen Mother Sirikit, who died at the age of 93.
