KUALA LUMPUR - India has expanded eligibility for the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) facility to include up to the sixth generation of Malaysian descendants of Indian origin, Bernama reported.

The Indian High Commission in Malaysia said the move followed recent high-level discussions linked to the ASEAN-India Summit.

“The revised procedures have been adopted following the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit and the meeting held between Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar and Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit,” it said.

The High Commission said the decision aims to strengthen India’s engagement with the Malaysian Indian community.

“The extension seeks to further support the deep people-to-people linkages between India and Malaysia,” it added.

In a related announcement, the Indian government will increase the Indian Scholarship and Trust Fund (ISTF) by RM3 million to assist financially challenged Malaysian Indian students.

“The ISTF provides annual one-time financial support to students from financially weaker families of the Malaysian Indian community,” it said.

The High Commission also confirmed that renowned Indian anthropologist Prof A. Chellaperumal has commenced his appointment as the Thiruvalluvar Chair of Indian Studies at Universiti Malaya under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).

This academic position was first announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to India last year.