Malaysia's Plantation and Commodities Minister Dr Noraini Ahmad will lead a high-level official mission to India from 27 September to 1 October 2026, aiming to deepen industry engagement, expand commercial cooperation, and consolidate her country's standing as a reliable supplier of sustainable palm oil to the world's largest palm oil import market. The mission is coordinated by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) and will cover Bengaluru and Mumbai.

Scale of the Trade Relationship

India has been Malaysia's single largest palm oil export destination for 13 consecutive years. In 2025, Malaysia shipped 2.94 million tonnes of palm oil and palm-based products to India, valued at RM14.15 billion. Palm oil accounts for approximately 51 per cent of India's total edible oil imports and 34 per cent of its overall edible oil consumption, making it the dominant source of cooking oil in the country.

The momentum has accelerated sharply in 2026. Malaysian palm oil exports to India surged 40.4 per cent to 2.26 million tonnes during the first eight months of the year, and Malaysia's share of India's palm oil imports climbed to 39.2 per cent, according to MPOC data.

What MPOC Says

MPOC Chief Executive Officer Belvinder Kaur Sron said India remained central to the Malaysian palm oil industry's long-term market development strategy. 'Our trade relationship with India is long-standing, and the commercial links between both industries are strong,' she said. 'This reflects the continued confidence of Indian buyers in the quality, reliability and sustainability of Malaysian palm oil. The mission will build on this momentum and identify new opportunities across oleochemicals, specialty fats and other higher-value palm-based applications.'

Programme: Bengaluru and Mumbai

In Bengaluru, Dr Noraini is scheduled to meet Karnataka government officials as well as leading Indian food, consumer goods and agri-technology companies. Discussions are expected to cover palm oil supply chains, downstream applications, sustainable sourcing, oil palm development, digital agriculture, and linkages between Malaysian suppliers and Indian manufacturers.

In Mumbai, the Minister will deliver a keynote address at Globoil India 2026 on 30 September, one of India's premier oils and fats industry conferences, attended by approximately 1,500 participants from across the global value chain. She will also hold meetings with senior members of the Solvent Extractors' Association of India and other industry leaders to discuss market developments and long-term cooperation frameworks.

Broader Bilateral Significance

The mission carries significance beyond commercial deal-making. Engagements with relevant government representatives are also planned to support broader bilateral cooperation, underscoring the diplomatic dimension of a trade relationship built on a commodity that is foundational to India's food security. This comes amid India's broader push to diversify and stabilise its edible oil supply chain — a policy priority since domestic cooking-oil prices spiked sharply in recent years.

The outcome of the mission is expected to shape supply agreements, open avenues in higher-value palm derivatives such as oleochemicals and specialty fats, and lay groundwork for closer technology partnerships between the two industries.