ABOUT 300 participants, including delegates from India, have gathered for the inaugural Penang-India Future Forward Summit 2025, held at St Giles The Wembley Hotel from today until March 28 (Friday).
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the summit serves as a new platform to bring together visionaries, industry leaders, and policymakers to foster collaboration and innovation.
“Both India and Penang have long been recognised for their strengths in engineering, technological innovation, and manufacturing excellence.
“India, with its vast pool of engineering talent and world-class research institutions, has positioned itself as a formidable player in the global tech landscape.
“On the other hand, Penang, often hailed as the ‘Silicon Valley of the East’, has played a critical role in the global semiconductor supply chain for over five decades now.
“With Malaysia’s National Semiconductor Strategy and India’s Semiconductor Mission, both nations have signalled their commitment to strengthening their positions in this high-tech sector. In Penang, we are complementing these efforts with our very own initiative, Penang Silicon Design @5km+, a strategic move to elevate our position within the semiconductor value chain.
“By leveraging these national and regional initiatives, Penang and India can work together to develop a robust semiconductor ecosystem that supports design, fabrication, and advanced packaging technologies. Through greater collaboration between our industries, universities, and government agencies, we can build a talent pipeline to sustain the rapid growth of this sector, ensuring our workforce is equipped with the necessary skills to meet the demands of tomorrow’s economy,” Chow said in his speech.
He also emphasised the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, incorporating artificial intelligence, in developing the talent needed to drive technological advancements.
Chow also mentioned that in 2023 and 2024, the state recorded over RM100 billion in approved private investments.
“Currently, Penang hosts only five Indian multinational corporations (MNCs), and we hope that this summit will spark greater interest from Indian investors to strengthen our industrial ecosystem further.
“India has much to leverage in its engagement with Malaysia and Penang, particularly as Malaysia holds the ASEAN Chairmanship this year. This presents an opportune moment to deepen economic ties and explore collaborative ventures that benefit both regions.
“Together, Penang and India can chart a path towards a future defined by technological excellence, economic resilience, and sustainable growth,” Chow said.
Chief Minister II Jagdeep Singh Deo, whose office is organising the event, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to strengthening the semiconductor sector.
He encouraged participants to maximise the summit’s opportunities by seeking partnerships to support their business ventures.
“Even though Penang is a small dot on the world map, it contributes about 6 ½ per cent of the world’s semiconductor products. We are home to 450 multinational corporations (MNCs) and 6,500 small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with industries working together in a well-integrated ecosystem.
“So, to our Indian participants – you have potential partners here in Penang who can support your ventures,” Jagdeep said.
Reddy congratulated the state government for hosting the summit and acknowledged the state’s long-standing spiritual, cultural and historical connections with India.
“There is no better place in Malaysia to accelerate this cooperation than Penang – a state that leads in innovation, excels in the semiconductor and electrical & electronics industries, and where manufacturing accounts for over 47% of the state’s economy.
“As we look forward to this collaboration, it seems only natural, given the historical and civilisational ties between India and Penang,” Reddy said.
With over one million Indian visitors to Malaysia last year, Reddy said the number is expected to increase following the successful visits to India by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last year, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo in January this year, and Deputy Minister of MITI, Liew Chin Tong, last week.
Reddy also wished the participants a productive summit, emphasising that it provides valuable opportunities for impactful networking and deeper economic partnerships between India and Penang.
Also present were state Social Development, Welfare and non-Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Lim Siew Khim and state Housing and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Seri Sundarajoo Somu.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Darwina Mohd Daud
Video by Alissala Thian