Malaysia, Italy to finalise G2G defence procurement deal
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said this followed his bilateral meeting with Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto at the Defence Ministry in Rome.
"Both countries renewed their commitment to further strengthening relations and taking existing defence cooperation to a higher level," Khaled said in a Facebook post.
He also welcomed Italy's offer to share its expertise in underwater security, along with knowledge-sharing in telecommunications, satellite technology and cyberspace which are areas that would benefit both nations.
Khaled's meeting with his Italian counterpart took place ahead of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's official working visit to the Italian capital.
Anwar is scheduled for a three-day working visit to Italy, where he hoped the visit would strengthen bilateral ties and deepen strategic cooperation, as well as to elevate Asean-European Union engagement in a challenging global landscape.
Malaysia is currently awaiting its maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) built by Italian defence firm Leonardo S.p.A. where its construction is currently at 60 per cent progress.
The acquisition of the ATR-72 MPA from Leonardo S.p.A was formalised during the 16th Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima) in May 2023.
It was part of a broader strategy under the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Capability Development Plan 2055, which envisions the procurement of six MPAs by 2035 in three phases.
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