Bilateral relations with Malaysia are based on mutual friendship and cooperation and are enriched by the intensification and deepening of economic and trade relations.
Malaysia is the third largest economy in ASEAN (GDP +5.1% in 2024) and the second in terms of per capita income ($13,380) after Singapore. It has the most advanced level of infrastructure in the whole of Southeast Asia, is home to an advanced microchip and semiconductor industry, and is the world’s fifth largest exporter of LNG.
Malaysia is the second largest market for Italian exports within ASEAN (18.4% of total Italian exports to the region in the first quarter of 2025).
Parallel to the growth of the Italian community and the number of companies that have chosen to make Malaysia their business base in the area, there has recently been an increase in business visits and cultural and inter-university relations have also intensified.
In 2017, the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations since the country’s independence was celebrated.
In June 2025, the new premises of the Italian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur was inaugurated. At the same time, the Italian Consulate in Kota Kinabalu was also inaugurated.
On 2 and 3 July 2025, as part of Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Italy, an Italian-Malaysian Business Forum was held in Rome. The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, co chaired the Round Table on the Italian-Malaysian Economic Partnership. A bilateral meeting between the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim was held at Palazzo Chigi, providing an important opportunity to review the main aspects of bilateral relations, with particular reference to strengthening cooperation in the fields of defence, energy and investment.
In addition to the Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and the Honorary Consulate in Kota Kinabalu, Italian institutions present in Malaysia include the Office of the Defence Attaché and the Italian Trade Commission (Local Office of the Italian Trade Agency).
As part of our bilateral business-to-business and people-to-people relations, it also worth mentioning the presence of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Malaysia (ITALCHAM) and the Emilio Salgari cultural association.