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Indian PM Modi ditches Trump, prepares for ASEAN summit

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 23 October 2025 7:20 PM

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that he will virtually attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur later this week, ending speculation of a meeting with US President Donald Trump.

"Modi's decision to attend the ASEAN summit virtually means he is unlikely to have another opportunity to meet Donald Trump this year," India Today reported on Thursday.

Modi said his country intends to pursue a "comprehensive strategic partnership" with ASEAN.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also confirmed Modi's announcement, saying the Indian premier would attend the summit virtually due to the Dipavali, commonly known as Diwali, celebrations in India.

In September, Trump said that he was looking forward to meeting Modi in the "coming weeks."

The ASEAN summit will begin on Friday in the Malaysian capital, with officials already arriving in Kuala Lumpur. Modi has been a regular at the bloc's annual meeting.

The summit comes as trade deals between the ASEAN bloc and several countries - including Canada, China, and South Korea - are in the works.

Following the expression of concerns by ASEAN economic ministers over the rise of "unilateral trade measures," this year's summit will primarily focus on tackling the harsh tariffs imposed by the US.

As analysts indicate that the bloc is set to be hit hard by tariffs, recent reports say ASEAN is working to prepare for a future that does not rely on Washington.

"The US accounts for about 13 percent of global trade, and if it defected from the current international trading system, that would hurt. But ASEAN will be fine so long as it can keep the old rules going with the other 87 percent of the world," a source close to the bloc told Foreign Policy in late September.

India could be hit hard by US tariffs, as the US government imposed sweeping tariffs on Indian exports - initially a 25 percent "reciprocal" tariff followed by an additional 25 percent in August - bringing the total up to 50 percent. These are among the highest imposed by the US on any of its trade partners.

A significant portion of India's policymakers are determined not to give in to US tariffs.

At the core of the US's historic tariffs against India stands the issue of Delhi's purchase of oil from Moscow.

India's economy minister said last month that her country will continue importing Russian oil, refuting earlier reports that New Delhi was looking to reduce imports as a "concession" to Washington.

This week, Trump targeted Rosneft and Lukoil - two major Russian oil firms - with Ukraine-related sanctions.

India has been among the largest buyers of Russian oil and remains Russia's second-largest trading partner. According to experts, sanctions against the Russian energy sector could make India have to deal with an "energy shock" should the country stop its purchase of oil from Russia.

Moreover, the US has also urged Japan to completely end its Russian energy purchases, prompting the country's Trade Minister Yoji Muto to firmly reject the coercive approach by saying that Tokyo will make its decisions based on its national interest.