NEW DELHI, Oct 23: The Congress party has alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision not to travel to Malaysia for the upcoming ASEAN summit is driven by a desire to avoid being cornered by US President Donald Trump, who is also expected to attend the summit. Instead, PM Modi will participate virtually from India, citing scheduling issues, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, who oversees communications for the party, criticized Modi’s absence and speculated on the real reason behind it. Ramesh suggested that while Modi often praises Trump on social media, physically sharing a platform with the US president is too risky, especially given Trump’s repeated, controversial claims about India and Operation Sindoor, India’s alleged military operation, and about India’s commitments regarding Russian oil imports. Ramesh also referenced Modi’s refusal to attend the recent Gaza peace summit in Egypt, linking it to the same apprehension about being seen alongside Trump.
Ramesh highlighted the lost diplomatic opportunities for Modi, noting that physically attending such summits provides chances for personal interactions, photo ops, and projecting India’s global leadership — a key aspect of Modi’s self-styled image as the “Vishwaguru” or world teacher. Modi has led Indian delegations at ASEAN summits and East Asia summits for several years, leveraging these events to deepen ties and promote India’s strategic partnerships.
The ASEAN summit will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from October 26 to 28. Alongside Modi, Trump is also invited and is scheduled to travel to Kuala Lumpur for a two-day trip starting October 26. Malaysia’s invitation to Trump, along with other dialogue partners of ASEAN, underscores the summit’s importance as a platform for regional and international diplomatic engagement.
Modi’s virtual participation includes discussions with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, with whom Modi had a warm conversation, congratulating Malaysia on its ASEAN chairmanship and expressing best wishes for the summit’s success. Modi also reiterated India’s commitment to strengthening the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reflecting the significant upswing in bilateral ties over recent years.
The ASEAN bloc comprises ten Southeast Asian nations: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia. India’s relations with ASEAN have evolved from a sectoral partnership in 1992 to a full dialogue partnership by 1995, summit-level partnership in 2002, and strategic partnership status since 2012. The relationship has increasingly focused on enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, security, and defense.
Jairam Ramesh shared video clips of Trump’s recent remarks in which Trump claimed India has promised to stop buying oil from Russia and praised Modi for this. Trump has repeatedly asserted that India agreed to reduce its Russian oil imports significantly by the end of the year, aiming to bring it “down to almost nothing.” Trump also mentioned that he plans to persuade China to follow suit. India and China are the largest buyers of Russian crude oil globally.
Trump, speaking at the White House, said, “India, as you know, has told me they are going to stop (buying Russian oil)… It’s a process. You can’t just stop… By the end of the year, they’ll be down to almost nothing, almost 40 percent of the oil.” Trump praised Modi, saying India “has been absolutely great.”
In addition, Trump reiterated his claim that tariffs have helped prevent conflicts worldwide, asserting, “I solved eight wars. Of the eight, five or six were because of tariffs.” He also repeated his controversial assertion that he helped settle the recent military conflict between India and Pakistan. Trump claimed that after he told India and Pakistan that fighting would result in tariffs, the countries ceased hostilities within days and made peace.
India, however, has consistently maintained that the ceasefire agreement reached in May was the result of direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries’ armies, rather than external intervention.
The Congress leader’s comments and the Modi government’s official explanation of “scheduling issues” for the Prime Minister’s virtual attendance reveal contrasting narratives about the summit. The Congress accuses Modi of political calculation and fear of being “cornered” by Trump over the claims he has repeatedly made about India’s foreign policy decisions, particularly regarding Russia and Operation Sindoor. Modi’s government, meanwhile, emphasizes logistical reasons for his non-attendance.
This episode reflects the complex diplomatic landscape India navigates amid its strategic partnerships. Modi’s participation, even virtually, underscores India’s continued engagement with ASEAN, which remains a crucial regional grouping given its economic and security importance. At the same time, the controversy highlights tensions around India’s relations with the US under Trump’s unconventional diplomacy and his public statements, which sometimes diverge from official Indian government positions.
Malaysia hosting the ASEAN summit also brings into focus the multilateral and bilateral ties India maintains with Southeast Asia, particularly as India seeks to bolster its influence and partnerships amid shifting global geopolitical currents. (PTI)
