Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be physically present at the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia next week, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar designated to represent India. Sources close to the matter cite scheduling issues as the primary reason for the Prime Minister’s absence. The summit is scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur from October 26 to 28.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim shared details of a phone call with PM Modi, indicating that the Indian leader would participate in the summit virtually. Ibrahim explained that PM Modi cited the ongoing Deepawali celebrations in India as the reason for his inability to attend in person. The conversation also touched upon strengthening the bilateral ties between India and Malaysia across strategic sectors.
This development means that any potential meeting between Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump at the summit will not occur this year. President Trump is expected to attend the event in Kuala Lumpur. Prime Minister Modi’s diplomatic agenda for the remainder of the year includes the G20 Summit in South Africa in November. The timeline for the QUAD Summit, which India is set to host, is still under wraps.
Traditionally, Prime Minister Modi has personally represented India at the ASEAN-India Summit and the East Asia Summit. Malaysia has invited numerous global leaders, including President Trump, for the summit.
The ASEAN-India relationship, which began as a sectoral partnership in 1992, has steadily grown into a strategic partnership. The bloc consists of ten Southeast Asian nations, and India has deepened its cooperation with them in areas like trade, investment, and defense in recent times. India’s original plan to visit Cambodia alongside the Malaysia trip has also been put on hold.
