Malaysia has criticised Norway after Oslo revoked an export licence for a naval missile system intended for the Malaysian navy.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he raised Malaysia’s “vehement objection” during a phone call with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre after Norway blocked delivery of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) system and launcher components.
The missile system was produced by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and was meant for Malaysia’s littoral combat ship programme. Malaysia’s Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the country had already paid nearly 95% of the contract value before the export licence was revoked in March.
Anwar said Malaysia had honoured all obligations under the agreement since 2018 and warned that Norway’s decision could affect confidence in European defence suppliers. He also said the cancellation could impact Malaysia’s operational readiness and regional security balance.
The Norwegian government has not publicly commented on the cancellation. Malaysia is now considering legal options and possible compensation claims over the blocked delivery.
