Malaysia, India strengthen cooperation on biodiversity conservation, rare earths industry and sustainability

“PUTRAJAYA, May 7 — Malaysia and India are committed to strengthening bilateral cooperation in biodiversity conservation, rare earth elements (REE), and green technology through various strategic initiatives discussed during a courtesy call by the Indian delegation to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES). The Indian delegation, led by India’s High Commissioner to Malaysia B. N. Reddy, was hosted by NRES deputy minister Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh. NRES, in a statement today, said that among the main discussion points was Malaysia’s active participation as a founding member of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA). According to the ministry, the international commitment is in line with Malaysia’s domestic success in achieving a 100 per cent completion rate for the Minister’s 100-Day Key Performance Indicators (KPI) in biodiversity enforcement. “Through Khazanah Integrated Operations (OBK), Malaysia has demonstrated its firm commitment to protecting wildlife, with seizures valued at RM413.1 million recorded since 2019. Malaysia is scheduled to participate in the 1st IBCA Summit in New Delhi on June 1, 2026, to finalise the Delhi Declaration on the conservation of big cat species, including the Malayan tiger,” it said. In the natural resources sector, NRES said Malaysia had also expressed interest in exploring strategic collaboration in the REE industry with Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL). Malaysia hopes to learn from India’s operational models and midstream processing technology to ensure the country’s REE industry can sustainably generate high added value. “This cooperation is expected to include aspects of technology transfer and the development of local expert capacity,” the ministry said. In addition, NRES said Malaysia had also invited the Indian delegation to leverage the platform of the International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia (IGEM), scheduled to take place from Oct 7 to 9 this year. “As the largest green technology hub in Southeast Asia, IGEM is the best platform for both countries to drive investment in the circular economy and low-carbon solutions,” it said. According to NRES, the meeting also touched on preparations for collaboration with the National Biodiversity Authority regarding the Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) framework, as well as developments involving the National Climate Change Bill, which is expected to be tabled in Parliament this June. NRES said Malaysia and India remain committed to ensuring resilient mineral supply chains and inclusive environmental conservation efforts for shared prosperity in the region. — Bernama

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