PM Modi likely to skip the ASEAN summit in Malaysia: Is Donald Trump the real reason?

PM Modi is unlikely to visit Malaysia for the ASEAN summit due to a scheduling issue, and he will be supplanted by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. According to sources, PM Modi skips the summit, as Donald Trump has also been invited and will be in Kuala Lumpur for a two-day visit. However, PM Modi can participate through virtual mode at the ASEAN-India summit.

New Delhi: Sources indicate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not physically attend the ASEAN Summit, scheduled to be held in Malaysia from October 26 to 28, 2025.

Due to his busy schedule, he will be unable to travel to Malaysia. India will instead be represented by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. While there has been no official announcement regarding Prime Minister Modi's absence from Malaysia, India has informed Malaysia that Minister Jaishankar will be the Indian representative.

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ASEAN Summit and India's Role

ASEAN is a group of Southeast Asian nations comprising ten member states: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia. India and ASEAN have a long-standing friendly and cooperative relationship.

The India-ASEAN Sectoral Partnership began in 1992, which evolved into a full dialogue partnership in 1995 and a summit-level partnership in 2002. It was elevated to a strategic partnership in 2012.

India and ASEAN have placed a special emphasis on enhancing cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, security, and defense. These ties have strengthened over the past few years, and Prime Minister Modi has led India at the ASEAN-India Summit and the East Asia Summit several times.

PM Modi Likely to Participate Virtually

According to sources, Prime Minister Modi is likely to participate in the summit virtually. This means he could join meetings via video call or online platform.

US President Trump Also Visiting Malaysia

Malaysia has invited leaders from several countries to this summit, including US President Donald Trump. Trump will arrive in Malaysia on October 26 and will spend a two-day visit.

Modi's Cambodia Visit Also Postponed

Prime Minister Modi's planned visit to Malaysia was also planned for Cambodia, but now that he is not traveling to Malaysia, the visit has also been postponed.

Despite the inability of Prime Minister Modi to visit Malaysia, India will continue to actively participate in the ASEAN Summit, led by External Affairs Minister Jaishankar. India's strong relations and strategic partnership with ASEAN will continue, focusing on trade, security, and regional cooperation.

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The ASEAN region is extremely important to India, and India will continue to strengthen its ties with this group in the future.