Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be attending the upcoming ASEAN Summit in Malaysia next week, a decision attributed to scheduling conflicts. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to represent India at the significant regional gathering. The summit is scheduled to commence in Kuala Lumpur from October 26 to 28. While official confirmation of India’s participation level is pending, sources indicate Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim revealed on social media platform X that Prime Minister Modi will address the summit virtually. Ibrahim stated that Modi informed him of his inability to attend in person due to the ongoing Diwali celebrations in India. Discussions between the two leaders focused on enhancing the strategic and comprehensive bilateral relationship between Malaysia and India, highlighting India’s importance as a partner in trade, investment, technology, education, and regional security.
This virtual participation means Prime Minister Modi will not have a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the event, as Trump is also expected to attend. Prime Minister Modi’s diplomatic focus this year will reportedly be on the G20 Summit in South Africa in November. Information regarding the scheduling of the QUAD Summit, which India is set to host later this year, remains unclear.
Historically, Prime Minister Modi has personally led India’s delegations at both the ASEAN-India Summit and the East Asia Summit. Malaysia has extended invitations to several global leaders, including President Trump, who plans a two-day visit starting October 26.
The ASEAN-India dialogue partnership, established in 1992, has evolved significantly, reaching summit level in 2002 and a strategic partnership in 2012. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) includes Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia. India’s ties with ASEAN have seen robust growth in recent years across trade, investment, and security sectors. A planned visit to Cambodia alongside the Malaysia trip has also been postponed.