Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be absent from the upcoming ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, with domestic political priorities and ongoing trade disagreements with the US cited as the primary reasons. Sources indicate that the Prime Minister’s focus is currently on the crucial Bihar state assembly elections and his involvement in the Chhath Puja celebrations. While official details are forthcoming, Prime Minister Modi is expected to participate in the India-ASEAN Summit via video conference on October 26. The East Asia Summit, slated for October 27-28, will be attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on behalf of India.
A significant bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump, which had been considered a possibility at the summit, has been cancelled. This cancellation is largely due to the lack of a significant breakthrough in the ongoing trade negotiations between India and the US. Despite recent diplomatic outreach, including a US commerce official’s visit and a phone call between the leaders, no immediate resolution to the trade issues is apparent. President Trump is scheduled to be in Malaysia on October 26 before continuing his trip to Japan.
The India-US trade relationship has been marked by friction, exacerbated by US tariffs on Indian products and duties on Russian oil imports. These measures have posed challenges for Indian businesses. Diplomatic efforts to mend the relationship have been ongoing since mid-September, involving high-level communications, but a trade agreement breakthrough has not occurred. Conflicting accounts emerged following a recent phone call between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi, with President Trump referencing trade discussions while Prime Minister Modi’s office highlighted Diwali greetings and shared anti-terrorism goals.