‘PM Modi is so popular’: Malaysian PM on Modi’s international appeal; Smriti Irani says ‘wave’ has ‘global echo’

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is in India for the 18th BRICS Summit, met India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday and candidly mentioned that he is so popular that people messaged him to pass on their regards to Modi.

BJP leader Smriti Irani shared a video clip of the candid exchange and wrote: “The Modi wave has a global echo! Malaysian PM Mr. Anwar Ibrahim’s candid quip says it all...” Track live updates on BRICS Summit

In the video, Ibrahim is seen shaking hands with PM Modi and as he proceeds to take a seat besides him, Ibrahim tells India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar that Modi is very popular. “I got so many messages to pass on regards to him,” Ibrahim can be heard saying.

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Modi meets Malaysian PM

Modi on Saturday held talks with his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim, focusing on boosting bilateral cooperation in sectors such as energy, defence, trade and investment.

Also read: Ethiopia, Malaysia eye strong defence, business ties with India after Modi meet at BRICS

"Building on Prime Minister Modi's visit to Malaysia in February 2026, the leaders reviewed the progress in bilateral cooperation across a range of areas, including trade and investment, defence and security, semiconductors, infrastructure, digital economy, energy, fintech, education, tourism and people-to-people ties," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on social media.

The leaders exchanged views on key regional and global issues of mutual interest, he said.

Leaders of global south at BRICS Summit

Ibrahim is among leaders of the global south who are in India for the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12 and 13 with focus on trade, investment and global conflicts, as the bloc seeks a bigger role in shaping the global agenda for emerging and developing countries.

India is hosting Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and counterparts from the other eight BRICS members. The summit comes as wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, along with rising U.S.-China tensions, test the bloc’s ability to find common ground among countries with competing geopolitical interests.

Also read: BRICS 2026: PM Modi meets Abu Dhabi Crown Prince in Delhi; trade, energy security in focus

BRICS, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with Indonesia joining in 2025.

Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam became BRICS partner countries last year.