Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has confirmed to NDTV that the extradition of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik was discussed during his talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

“In private discussions, of course, these engagements continue,” Anwar told NDTV after his bilateral meeting with Modi on Saturday on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.

He said both sides had agreed to keep the matter private to protect the interests of Malaysia and India.

“We thought we should keep it very private to protect the interests of both nations. But we, of course, put it on the priority list for building trust and relationship between our countries,” Anwar said.

Asked about India’s extradition request, the Malaysian prime minister said Kuala Lumpur would have to proceed cautiously while respecting the rule of law.

“We have some understanding of it (extradition demand) but we need to do it very cautiously,” he said. “Respect the rule of law and the importance of these bilateral relations.”

Naik, an Indian Islamic preacher, has been living in Malaysia as a permanent resident since 2016. Indian authorities have accused him of money laundering and hate speech and have sought his extradition.

He moved to Malaysia after Indian authorities began investigations into him and organisations linked to him, including the Islamic Research Foundation and Peace TV. He was later granted permanent residency in Malaysia.

India has formally requested his extradition, while Malaysia has previously said it would consider cooperation through established legal channels if concrete and credible evidence is provided.

Interpol has also previously declined to issue a Red Notice against Naik, citing insufficient evidence.