India will be represented by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the forthcoming ASEAN Summit in Malaysia, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unable to attend in person due to scheduling constraints. The summit is slated to take place in Kuala Lumpur from October 26-28. Indian officials have conveyed this to Malaysian authorities, confirming Jaishankar’s role as the head of the Indian delegation.
Prime Minister Modi is expected to deliver a virtual address at the summit. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed a phone conversation with PM Modi, during which the Indian Prime Minister stated his virtual participation was due to the Diwali festivities. The call also focused on deepening the Malaysia-India strategic partnership, emphasizing areas like trade, investment, technology, education, and regional security.
Consequently, there will be no in-person meeting between Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump at the ASEAN Summit this year, as Trump is scheduled to attend. PM Modi’s upcoming diplomatic engagements include the G20 Summit in South Africa in November. The timing of the QUAD Summit, hosted by India later this year, is yet to be finalized.
In previous years, Prime Minister Modi personally led India’s participation in key ASEAN-related summits. This year’s summit in Kuala Lumpur is anticipated to draw various world leaders, including President Trump, who is slated for a visit.
The ASEAN-India partnership, initiated in 1992, has progressively strengthened, culminating in a strategic partnership in 2012. ASEAN comprises ten Southeast Asian nations. India’s engagement with the bloc has seen substantial advancements in trade, investment, and security cooperation. Separately, a planned visit to Cambodia has been postponed following the cancellation of the Malaysia trip.