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Malaysia and India have a long-standing relationship deeply connected by political, economic, security as well as cultural sphere. Their bilateral relations have evolved over a long period underpinned by several political-cum-diplomatic processes in which cultural diplomacy plays a pivotal role. This is due to the strong historical connections that have promoted culture as a strategy to strengthen bilateral relationships. The Indian population in Malaysia is also substantial. Both nations provide a fitting example of the use of cultural diplomacy to promote bilateral relations, thereby, evoking greater bond.
Essentially, cultural diplomacy is about the interactions that take place between nations, in as diverse facets as showcasing dance, drama, art, literature, music, and food habits that help understand and share the unique identity that each nation possesses. It is, in other words, actions that are “based on and utilize the exchange of ideas, values, traditions and other aspects of culture or identity, whether to strengthen relationships, enhance socio-cultural cooperation, and promote national interests and beyond”.
Malaysia-India cultural ties reflect the above definition in its entirety as it impinges on its ancientness and showcases continuity. This is because of the realization that culture and its attributes serve as the best means of cementing people-to-people ties that help consolidate the societal bond.
The Historical Context
At the outset, it is the strong historical connection between Malaysia and India that has cemented the bilateral relations we witness today. Malaysia is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural country brought about as a result of historic influences and assimilation and acceptance of different cultures from near and far. It is geographically proximate to India, situated only about 2600 km away from the Southern Indian city of Chennai. The contemporary diplomatic relations between the two countries were established soon after Malaysia (then Malaya) gained independence in 1957. Back then, along with the sea-faring culture of people for trade purposes, the exchange of ideas, language, art, architecture, culture and religion transpired. The effect of this was the amalgamation and deepening of Indian culture and tradition in Malaysia and the rise in Tamil ethnic community settlements. Today, the Indian Diaspora population in the Malay Peninsula is estimated at around 8 % of Malaysia’s total population. The pre-independent cultural influences are variously depicted in Malaysia even today; the Dravidian style architecture as seen in Maha Mariamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur, the South Indian cuisine, dress code, in Malay literature and folklore and to the extent of recognizing Tamil as a minority language.
Cultural Diplomacy – Post-Independent Years
The post-independent cultural diplomacy got a facelift after various foreign policy measures were taken in the 1990s and mid-2014 in the form of the ‘Look-East/Act-East’ policy that pushed for revitalizing the existing cultural connections.
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) as a nodal agency in New Delhi under the Ministry of External Affairs has taken numerous steps to promote bilateral cultural ties. A dedicated Indian Cultural Centre, namely the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture (IGCIC) was inaugurated in Kuala Lumpur in February 2010 and conducts classes in classical Indian music, dance, yoga, Hindi language teaching etc. The Friends of Indian Culture Centre (FICC) has been created to advise the centre in outreach programmes. In November 2015, the IGCIC was renamed the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Indian Culture Centre (NSCBICC) by the Indian Prime Minister during his visit to Malaysia. In October 2022, ICCR organized the 6th International Ramayana festival in New Delhi which included a delegation from Malaysia as well.
Another remarkable aspect of bilateral cultural diplomacy is the signing of the Cultural Programme Exchange Agreement between India and Malaysia. Signed in November 2015 for five years till 2020, this agreement contains ten articles detailing the exchange programmes at the highest levels and identifying areas of cultural exchanges. This includes “art troupe for specific projects, visual performing arts, theatres and writers on a reciprocal basis, organizing art exhibitions, encouraging cultural and artistic institutions to invite cultural groups to participate in international activities, encourage cooperation in exchanging visits between archaeological institutions and museums, encourage participation in international academic conferences” and such others.
One can also note the promotion of cultural diplomacy by way of educational exchanges. For example, in 2010, Malaysia and India signed a bilateral cooperation agreement to ensure educational opportunities for the student community from both countries. Of the many such initiatives taken in this regard, three of them are notable: the Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Community (SPDC) sponsored by ICCR; the annual scholarship programme offered by the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC) under the Ministry of External Affairs for students across the world including Malaysia, to study in India on various subjects aimed at capacity building; and the (AYUSH) scheme for Malaysian students focusing on traditional medicines.
In 2017, an MOU was signed between the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and the Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA) on mutual recognition of equivalence of educational qualifications. Also, financial assistance is being provided to Malaysian Indian students on an annual basis under the Indian Scholarship and Trust Fund (ISTF), besides setting up of Indian schools and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) campus in Malaysia.
Youth exchange programmes have also fostered a greater understanding of each other’s culture, tradition and value systems. The ASEAN – India student exchange programme is one such method that has invited student communities from all ASEAN countries under the auspices of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to visit India. India – Malaysia International Immersion Internship programme took place in July 2023, in which students from Chennai visited Malaysia. This is yet another example of the bilateral cultural learning experience. These are telling examples of steps taken to disseminate knowledge and value systems that enhance the cross-fertilization of societal bonds and help strengthen bilateral cultural relations.
Religious festivals and traditions are another focus area depicting cultural attributes. The thousands of temples constructed all across Malaysia for various Tamil Deities not only depict the preservation of religious value systems but also the South Indian traditional beliefs that temples fulfil their identity. As noted above, the great Maha Mariamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur is one such popular temple in the country. The Tamil population in Malaysia has been instrumental in promoting such cultural attributes as revealed in the celebration of Deepavali and Thaipusam as major festivals and minor ones such as Ganesh Chathurthi, Maha Shivratri, and Baisakhi, all of which are traditional festivals of Tamil community in South India as well. Such celebration tells us the extent to which they are preserved and nourished by the Malaysian Tamils.
In August 2022, as part of 75 years of celebration of Indian independence (Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav), the Indian Prime Minister announced the “Panch Pran” or five pledges to take forward India’s ‘proud legacy’ in which nine critical themes were identified that included India’s cultural pride. As a continuation of this, the Indian High Commission in Malaysia organized several cultural events that included 75 yoga events across Malaysia in collaboration with other institutions like schools, yoga clubs, business establishments and universities in September 2022.
A special musical event “India-Malaysia@65: Musical Extravaganza” was organised by the High Commission of India in Kuala Lumpur in collaboration with the Temple of Fine Arts (TFA) to commemorate the 65 years of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations on 10th February 2023. Celebrating sporting links between the two nations, Golf Games were organized on 10th March 2023. The visa-free entry for Indians to travel to Malaysia and vice-versa for the year 2024 has further strengthened religious and cultural ties, enabling a huge number of visitors from both countries to travel for pilgrimage and tourist purposes. Another notable measure is the signing of an MoU between Prasar Bharati and Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) that was approved in November of 2023. This MoU aims at promoting cooperation in public broadcasting that has the benefit of “exchange programmes in the areas of culture, education, science, technology, sports, news and other fields on gratis/non-gratis basis”.
Conclusion
The above analysis is a clear illustration of the extent to which cultural diplomacy plays a decisive role in augmenting bilateral relations between India and Malaysia. It is distinct because of the historical basis that has helped connect the past with the present. Also undeniable is the fact that the huge presence of the Indian Diaspora in Malaysia who have settled there for generations have indeed laid a strong foundation for the continuity and promotion of cultural attributes with vibrancy. The ongoing measures to revamp and utilize the historically shared cultural values to the benefit of both countries’ populations are equally impressive and hence have brought about greater solidarity between them.
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