India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be attending the upcoming ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur in person. The information was confirmed by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who said that due to India’s Diwali festival celebrations, Modi would be unable to travel to Malaysia for the summit. However, he will participate virtually.
The summit is scheduled to take place from October 26 to 28 in Kuala Lumpur and will see the participation of leaders from all ASEAN member states, along with key partners including China, Japan, the United States, Australia, and South Korea. U.S. President will also be visiting Kuala Lumpur for a two-day trip during the summit. Due to Modi’s virtual participation, a bilateral meeting with the U.S. President will not take place in person.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed his respect for Modi’s decision during a phone conversation and extended Diwali greetings to the people of India.
India will be represented at the summit by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, while Modi will engage in important discussions through the virtual platform, ensuring India’s participation despite not being physically present.
This arrangement highlights India’s adoption of technology for international diplomacy, allowing the country to maintain its strategic and diplomatic engagements even when travel or scheduling constraints prevent physical attendance.
