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Varsity for PIOs under study: Manmohan

Diplomatic Correspondent

Feedback from PIO community has been extremely encouraging

KUALA LUMPUR: India is looking at the idea of setting up an exclusive university for Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh informed a gathering of expatriates in the Malaysian capital on Monday.

"The idea of establishing an exclusive PIO University is ... being considered. The feedback from the PIO community from the world over has been extremely encouraging," Dr. Singh told the Indian community here.

An integral component

To loud applause, the Prime Minister, who met his Malaysian counterpart Abdullah Ahmed Badawi earlier in the day, said the two sides "are concluding" an agreement in which mutual recognition arrangements of educational institutions were an integral component.

"We will find new projects to replicate the successful twinning experiment between the Melaka-Manipal medical colleges," he said adding that the Government was also considering increasing the number of seats available to PIOs in Indian educational institutions.

`Little Indias'

Dr. Singh said the "little Indias" in many Malaysian towns were more than geographical spaces. "They are repositories of the sentiment that links people of Indian origin to the motherland. I compliment you for the affection that you still have for the land of your ancestors."

"I salute you for your commitment to the progress and prosperity of your adopted home. It is a unique characteristic of our people that while being devoted to Mother India, they are also loyal to their new homeland," he said.

Pointing out that India admired Malaysia's achievements, Dr. Singh was proud that the Indian community had contributed in no small measure.

Confluence of civilisations

"Malaysia is also a moderate and progressive Islamic State which represents a successful development model. As a modern and industrialised State with business and investor-friendly policies, it has shown that Islam and modernity are perfectly compatible. Rejecting the theory of a `clash of civilisations" you have shown, like India, that a `confluence of civilisations' is, in fact, possible," he asserted.

The Prime Minister also held bilateral discussions with his Vietnamese counterpart Phan Van Khai during the day.

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