NEW DELHI: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi announced on Thursday that he will not be attending the 47th
ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur in person, and will instead participate virtually, ruling out a possible meeting with US President
Donald Trump.
In a post on X, PM Modi shared that he had a warm conversation with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, during which he extended his best wishes for the success of the upcoming summits.
"Had a warm conversation with my dear friend, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia. Congratulated him on Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship and conveyed best wishes for the success of upcoming Summits. Look forward to joining the ASEAN-India Summit virtually, and to further deepening of the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," PM Modi stated on X.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in a statement, emphasized the ongoing efforts to enhance the bilateral relationship between Malaysia and India. "Last night, I received a phone call from a colleague of the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Narendra Modi, to discuss efforts to strengthen Malaysia-India bilateral relations to a more strategic and comprehensive level. India remains an important partner for Malaysia in the fields of trade and investment, in addition to close cooperation in the sectors of technology, education, and regional security," Anwar said.
He also mentioned the upcoming 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, noting that PM Modi will attend virtually due to the Deepavali celebrations in India. "I respect his decision and extended my greetings for a happy Deepavali to him and the entire people of India," Anwar added.
Meanwhile, the Congress party suggested that PM Modi's decision was influenced by a desire to avoid confrontation with Trump. "For days the speculation has been - will He or won't He? Will Mr. Modi go to Kuala Lumpur for the Summit or not?" Congress leader Ramesh commented on X.
"Now it appears certain that the PM will not go. It means the loss of so many opportunities to hug and get photo ops with world leaders or to flaunt himself as the self-styled Vishwaguru," Ramesh added.
"The reason why Mr. Modi is not going is simple. He just doesn't want to be cornered by President Trump who will also be there. He refused an invitation to attend the Gaza peace summit in Egypt a few weeks back, precisely for this reason," Ramesh claimed.
The India-US relationship has been under scrutiny due to trade differences and Trump's overtures to Pakistan, which have caused unease in India. Despite this, India maintains that the ceasefire following Operation Sindoor in May was directly negotiated between the two militaries.
The leaders of the Southeast Asian grouping will meet in the Malaysian capital from October 26 to October 28, with participation from all 10 members of the bloc and key trading partners such as China, Japan, and the US.
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