Raveesh Kumar
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.Reuters

A week after Malaysian Prime Minister made comments about India's decision to revoke Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, India on Friday, October 10, said Malaysia should keep the 'friendly relations' in mind before making such statements.

Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad at his address to the United Nations General Assembly shocked New Delhi by accusing India of "invading and occupying the country" of Jammu and Kashmir.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar responded to the claims stating that the Instrument of Accession was signed by Jammu and Kashmir like all other princely states.

He also said that the Government of Malaysia should keep friendly relations between the two countries and should refrain from making such remarks.

Relations between the two countries had strained after Mohamad made the statements despite a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that discussed the Kashmir issue and the extradition of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik.

The meeting mainly consisted of India presenting New Delhi's position on the Kashmir issue, and according to Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said: "the conflict would be settled and it would not escalate in a war".

Malaysia had stated that the country would be stating its own position on the issue in front of the international community.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad attends a press conference to mark the first year since his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition won power at the national polls on May 9 last year, in Putrajaya, Malaysia, May 9, 2019. Malaysia has achieved progress in combating corruption and in restoring government institutions after taking over the government in a smooth transition but much remains to be done especially in repairing the national economy, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Thursday.Reuters | Representational

"Malaysia as an Islamic country with its own position among Islamic countries can explain the actual situation if the matter is brought up at any international platform," Saifuddin said.

On the issue of the contentious extradition of Zakir Naik, while the Malaysian authorities had initially not commented on the issue, Mahathir later rejected claims of Modi discussing the extradition.

With India being Malaysia's tenth largest trading partner, the total bilateral trade target of $15 billion dollars for 2020 was achieved in 2019.