Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend the upcoming ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur due to pressing domestic commitments and the absence of a significant breakthrough in trade negotiations with the United States. Sources indicate that the PM’s primary focus is on the upcoming Bihar state assembly elections and participation in the Chhath Puja festivities. While an official confirmation is pending, it is understood that Prime Minister Modi will engage with the India-ASEAN Summit virtually on October 26. India’s representation at the East Asia Summit from October 27-28 will be led by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
The potential high-level meeting between Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump, initially considered a possibility at the summit amidst ongoing trade disputes, has been called off. Progress on the bilateral trade agreement has stalled despite recent diplomatic efforts, including a visit by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal to the US and a phone call between the leaders. These interactions have not yielded immediate positive results. President Trump is scheduled to visit Malaysia on October 26 before heading to Japan.
The India-US trade relationship has been strained due to retaliatory tariffs imposed by the US on Indian goods and duties on Russian oil. These measures have impacted the competitiveness of Indian products. Although trade talks resumed in mid-September and have included high-level communications, a resolution remains distant. Conflicting reports emerged regarding a recent phone call between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi, with the former mentioning trade discussions while the latter’s statement focused on Diwali greetings and counter-terrorism cooperation.