Malaysia, Germany continue to strengthen defence cooperation

New Straits Times

14-05-2025

BERLIN: Malaysia and Germany are committed to continuing to strengthen bilateral defence ties through various strategic initiatives, including cooperation agreements, military training, and capacity building in the field of security and defence technology.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the matter was among those discussed during his meeting with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius in conjunction with the United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Ministerial 2025 Forum held here.
"Germany and Malaysia enjoy good relations in the field of defence, and we deeply value the cooperation that has been fostered over the years. Whenever the opportunity arises, we make it a point to meet and exchange views on the current geopolitical and security landscape," he said when met here yesterday.
He also welcomed Asean's decision to accept Germany as an observer country in the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM), while hoping that the country would play a meaningful role in the regional security platform.
"Malaysia is grateful for Germany's willingness to join the ADMM as an observer and is confident that this participation will contribute to the peace and stability of the Southeast Asian region," he said.
At the meeting, Khaled said Germany also expressed its intention to sign a Letter of Intent with Malaysia to facilitate and expedite all forms of defence cooperation between the two countries.
According to him, both parties are currently discussing and finalising the document.
He also expressed appreciation for Malaysia's participation in the 'Enable and Enhance' programme, which is an initiative by Germany to help build the defence capabilities of partner countries.
"We greatly appreciate the contributions under this programme and hope that it will continue, especially by the newly formed German government," he said.
Meanwhile, he also expressed Malaysia's hope that the training opportunities for Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) pilots in the A400M simulator in Germany can continue, given that the aircraft is also used by the country.
"I also suggest that Germany consider opening up training opportunities for Malaysian military personnel in technology-related fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity, which are increasingly important in today's defence landscape," he said.
He said the meeting reflected the determination of both countries in building more sustainable defence cooperation, in line with increasingly challenging global security needs.