This article covers the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Malta, visits in both directions, the Foreign Office Consultations and the political agreements between the two countries. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of June 2026. Economic, sectoral, cultural and consular matters are covered in the other articles of this guide.

Establishment of relations

According to the MEA brief of June 2026, India was one of the first countries to recognise the independence of Malta, in 1964, and established diplomatic relations with Malta in 1965. In 2025, the two countries celebrated the 60th Anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.

The brief states that India and Malta "enjoy friendly and cordial relations", and describes bilateral relations as "warm and friendly", with a number of visits exchanged between the two sides. The High Commission of India in Malta was opened in 2017, and the first resident High Commissioner of India took charge in January 2018. Malta's mission in New Delhi is described in the practical guide in this series.

Visits from India to Malta

Vice President of India Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu paid an official visit to Malta from 16 to 18 September 2018. He was accompanied by Shri Shiv Pratap Shukla, MoS (Finance), four Members of Parliament and other senior officials. He held talks with the President of Malta, H.E. Ms. Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, covering bilateral relations and cooperation in multilateral and international forums.

The Vice President also met the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Angelo Farrugia; the Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Dr. Christian Cardona, with the Minister of Education and the Foreign Minister of Malta present; and the Leader of Opposition, Dr. Adrian Delia. Three MoUs were signed in the presence of the two leaders; they are described in the cooperation and culture articles of this guide.

Minister of State for External Affairs Shri M.J. Akbar paid an official visit to Malta from 8 to 10 July 2018. He held delegation-level talks with Foreign Minister Carmelo Abela and called on the President of Malta and on Prime Minister Dr. Joseph Muscat. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Smt. Sumitra Mahajan, visited Malta in January 2019 for the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) Standing Committee.

Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, Amb. Sibi George, visited Malta from 26 to 29 March 2026 for the 4th Round of Foreign Office Consultations. During the visit he called on Dr. Ian Borg, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, and met Dr. Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, Minister for European Funds and Implementation of the Electoral Programme.

Visits from Malta to India

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion Mr. Carmelo Abela visited India in March 2018 and met External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State for External Affairs Shri M.J. Akbar.

Prime Minister of Malta Dr. Joseph Muscat, accompanied by Dr. Christian Cardona, Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Business, and a large business delegation from Malta, attended a summit in Gujarat from 18 to 20 January 2019. He met Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on the margins of the summit.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Trade Dr. Ian Borg visited India from 6 to 8 October 2023. He met External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar and held detailed discussions on bilateral relations, including trade and investment, maritime cooperation, renewable energy, tourism, culture and people-to-people ties.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malta, Dr. Angelo Farrugia, visited India in January 2026 to attend the 28th CSPOC (Conference of Speaker and Presiding Officer of the Commonwealth). Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr. Ian Borg visited India in March 2026 as a Keynote Speaker at the Raisina Dialogue, and met External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar to discuss various aspects of the relationship.

The two foreign ministers also met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on 24 September 2024, where they shared perspectives on contemporary issues and on taking forward bilateral ties.

Earlier visits

The brief lists the following earlier visits from India to Malta:

  • President R. Venkataraman, in 1990.
  • Shri Kamal Nath, Minister for Commerce & Industry, in November 2005, as Head of the Indian delegation to CHOGM.
  • Smt. Preneet Kaur, MoS, External Affairs, from 7 to 10 April 2013, at the invitation of the Foreign Minister of Malta.
  • Prof. K.V. Thomas, Chairman, Public Accounts Committee, with Shri Shivkumar Chanabasappa Udasi, MP Lok Sabha, from 1 to 5 June 2015, for a Westminster Workshop on public accounts committees.
  • EAM Smt. Sushma Swaraj, who led the Indian delegation to the CHOGM Summit 2015 from 25 to 29 November 2015, while MoS (VKS) represented India at the Foreign Ministers' segment.

Earlier visits from Malta to India include:

  • Prime Minister Dr. Edward Fenech Adami, in 1989.
  • President Dr. Censu Tabone, in January 1992.
  • Foreign Minister Dr. Michael Frendo, on an official visit in March 2005, when he met the EAM and the Commerce Minister.
  • A five-member goodwill Parliamentary delegation headed by Jason Azzopardi, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs, in March 2007, at the invitation of India's Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
  • Speaker of the Maltese Parliament Mr. Louis Galea, in January 2010, for the Commonwealth Speakers meeting.
  • Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr. Tonio Borg, in January 2010.
  • Foreign Minister Dr. George Vella, who met EAM Shri Salman Khurshid in November 2013 on the sidelines of ASEM in New Delhi.

Foreign Office Consultations

A Protocol for Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between the two countries was signed in 2005, during the visit of Maltese Foreign Minister Dr. Michael Frendo to India. The second round of DG-level FOC was held in Malta on 20 April 2018 and covered bilateral political matters, trade and economic matters, cultural relations, and regional and multilateral issues.

The third round took place in New Delhi on 29 September 2023, co-chaired by Shri Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, and H.E. Mr. Christopher Cutajar, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs & Trade, Malta. The two sides reviewed bilateral engagements and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, including developments in their respective neighbourhoods.

The fourth round took place on 27 March 2026, co-chaired by Amb. Sibi George, Secretary (West), and Mr. Christopher Cutajar, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the brief, both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and "expressed satisfaction at the steady progress in India-Malta ties", marked by the milestone of the 60th anniversary in 2025. The meeting highlighted the recent upswing in bilateral engagement marked by high-level visits. The sectors discussed at the third and fourth rounds are set out in the relevant articles of this guide.

Agreements

The brief lists the agreements and MoUs signed by the two countries that are in force. Apart from the Protocol for FOCs, they are described by subject in the trade, cooperation, culture and practical articles of this guide.