NEW DELHI – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cancelled his planned visit to Malaysia for the upcoming Asean-related summits, opting instead to join the discussions virtually, officials confirmed on Friday. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and East Asia Summit will be held from October 26 to 28 in Kuala Lumpur. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar would now lead the Indian delegation.
According to The Hindu, the MEA did not provide a formal reason for Mr Modi’s decision. However, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the Indian leader cited ongoing Deepavali celebrations as the reason for his non-attendance. “He [Prime Minister Modi] informed me that he will attend virtually due to the ongoing Deepavali celebrations in India at that time. I respect his decision and extended my greetings for a happy Deepavali to him and the entire people of India,” Mr Ibrahim said on social media.
Read More: Modi to attend ASEAN summit virtually
Mr Modi also posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying he had a “warm conversation” with Mr Ibrahim, congratulating him on Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship and expressing his intent to “deepen the Asean-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”
Had a warm conversation with my dear friend, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia. Congratulated him on Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship and conveyed best wishes for the success of upcoming Summits. Look forward to joining the ASEAN-India Summit virtually, and to further…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 23, 2025
India’s main opposition party, the Congress, claimed the real reason behind Mr Modi’s withdrawal was his reluctance to meet U.S. President Donald Trump, who is also scheduled to attend the Kuala Lumpur summit. Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh alleged that Mr Modi was avoiding “being cornered” by President Trump over issues such as India’s purchase of Russian oil and Operation Sindoor, a U.S. intelligence operation Trump claims to have halted. “It’s one thing to post messages praising Trump, but quite another to stand next to him when he has made 53 claims about stopping Operation Sindoor and India halting Russian oil imports,” Mr Ramesh wrote on X.
Modi Proposes, Reliance Disposes, Trump Exposes pic.twitter.com/y1xhBXjhUG
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) October 23, 2025
“The reason why Mr Modi is not going is simple — he just doesn’t want to be cornered by President Trump. The PM may well be recalling that old Bollywood line: ‘Bachke rehna re baba, bachke rehna re.’” In a separate post, Ramesh quipped, “Modi proposes, Reliance disposes, Trump exposes,” after reports emerged that Reliance Industries was adjusting its Russian oil imports in line with government policy.
The East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur was seen as a potential venue for a Modi-Trump meeting, especially amid strained India-U.S. ties following Washington’s punitive tariffs over India’s continued Russian crude imports. Earlier in the week, both leaders exchanged Deepavali greetings and held a telephone conversation, which reportedly covered trade talks and regional stability.
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While U.S. officials claimed the discussion included topics such as “no war with Pakistan,” Indian sources denied that Pakistan was mentioned. Officials in New Delhi had previously given mixed signals about Mr Modi’s travel plans, suggesting his focus on the Bihar election campaign could also be a factor.
Earlier this month, Mr Trump invited Mr Modi to the Gaza peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, but India was represented instead by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh. The MEA reaffirmed that Asean remains a key pillar of India’s Act East Policy and its Asia-Pacific vision, underscoring that virtual participation will not diminish India’s engagement with the region.