Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim over breakfast in New Delhi on Sunday, with the two leaders discussing bilateral relations between India and Malaysia.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also present during the meeting. The Congress shared photographs of the interaction on social media.

Ibrahim is currently in New Delhi to represent Malaysia at the 2026 BRICS Summit. Malaysia is a BRICS partner country and also maintains close engagement with India through ASEAN.

The meeting took place a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Ibrahim on the sidelines of the BRICS summit. Their discussions covered areas including trade, semiconductors, infrastructure and defence cooperation.

Anwar's longstanding ties with Manmohan Singh

Ibrahim's interaction with Rahul Gandhi also comes against the backdrop of his longstanding association with and admiration for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

After Singh died in December 2024, Ibrahim paid an emotional tribute to the former Indian prime minister, recalling his contribution to India's economic transformation and describing him as a close and respected friend.

Ibrahim, who himself served as Malaysia's finance minister in the 1990s, had followed India's economic reforms under Singh closely. He had credited Singh's policies with helping lay the foundation for India's emergence as a major global economy.

The Malaysian prime minister had also spoken about a personal gesture by Singh during a difficult period in Ibrahim's political life. According to Ibrahim, Singh had offered to assist with his children's education while Ibrahim was imprisoned during a period of political turmoil in Malaysia.

Ibrahim said he ultimately declined the offer but remembered Singh's willingness to help as a reflection of the former prime minister's compassion.

He had also recalled working with Singh on a major corruption-related case and praised his commitment to tackling corruption.

While describing Singh as a statesman whose political style could sometimes appear understated or unconventional, Ibrahim said his contribution to public life would continue to be remembered.

India-Malaysia engagement

Ibrahim's visit to India comes as New Delhi seeks to deepen economic and strategic ties with Malaysia and other Southeast Asian partners.

His discussions with Modi focused on several sectors considered important to the bilateral relationship, including emerging technologies, infrastructure, trade and defence.

The breakfast meeting with Rahul Gandhi adds a political dimension to Ibrahim's India visit, bringing together the Malaysian leader and India's principal opposition figure during his stay in New Delhi.

With Malaysia participating in BRICS as a partner country, the visit also comes at a time when India's engagement with Southeast Asia is gaining greater significance across economic, diplomatic and strategic areas.