PM Modi To Attend ASEAN Summit Online As India Weighs Trade, Energy Balancing Acts

• PM Modi will not attend the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur in person
• Move underscores India’s diplomatic balancing act amid trade talks with the U.S. and energy ties with Russia. 
• It also delays a potential one-on-one meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be attending the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur next week. Instead, PM Modi will participate virtually and miss the much-anticipated meeting with US President Donald Trump at the regional leaders' summit in Malaysia. 

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced on Thursday via a Facebook post that Modi will attend the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit virtually. 

“He announced that he would attend online, given the Deepavali celebrations that are still being celebrated in India at that time,” Anwar said. “I respect the decision and extend my Deepavali greetings to him and all the people of India.”

The summit also comes amid pressure from Washington and Moscow, presenting Modi’s team with a balancing act between Western partnerships and traditional alliances.

India-US Trade Deal Breakthrough?

India–U.S. relations, recently strained by tariff measures and energy alignment issues, are showing tentative signs of recovery. Following the recent trade crisis, Washington and New Delhi are reportedly nearing a breakthrough agreement that links tariff reductions with India’s gradual tapering of Russian oil imports. 

Under the proposed deal, U.S. tariffs on Indian exports could decrease from 50% to approximately 15–16%, while India is expected to open key sectors like agriculture and clean energy for deeper cooperation.

The Russian  Energy Ties

US President Donald Trump recently claimed to have received assurances from Modi that India would significantly scale back its purchases of Russian oil, signalling a compromise on both sides. India is yet to confirm on these demands.

The ASEAN summit provides a platform to recalibrate relationships affected by broader geopolitical tensions, especially amid intensifying rivalry between the U.S. and China.​

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.

Share

·

Add us on