PM Modi will skip his visit to Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN Summit later this month and will instead attend the proceedings virtually, ending days of speculation over a possible Modi–Trump meeting on the sidelines.
The announcement effectively quashes hopes of the two leaders’ first in-person interaction since Washington imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods earlier this year, a move that strained bilateral trade ties.
In a statement, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said PM Modi informed him of his decision to join virtually, citing ongoing Diwali celebrations in India. “I respect the decision and extend my Deepavali greetings to him and all the people of India,” Anwar wrote on Instagram.
PM Modi later confirmed the conversation on X, noting that the two leaders discussed ways to deepen India–Malaysia cooperation in trade, technology, education, and regional security.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will represent India at the 20th East Asia Summit and other ASEAN-related meetings in Kuala Lumpur. This will be the second time in a decade that PM Modi skips the ASEAN summit in person, though ASEAN remains a key pillar of India’s Act East Policy.
New Delhi’s decision comes as India’s diplomatic calendar grows tighter, with PM Modi expected to focus on the G20 Summit in South Africa next month and the upcoming QUAD Summit, which India is set to host later this year.
Officials have confirmed that no bilateral meeting between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump is planned this year. While Trump is expected to be in Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN meet on October 26–27, Modi’s schedule reportedly does not include any overlapping engagement.
This development comes just weeks after PM Modi skipped the Sharm al-Sheikh Gaza Summit, which saw the participation of US President Donald Trump, amid a visibly cooling phase in India–US relations. The strain has been fuelled by Trump’s baseless claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan earlier this year and his administration’s decision to impose steep tariffs on Indian exports, moves that have added friction to an already tense diplomatic equation.
