Highlights:
- PM Narendra Modi to attend ASEAN Summit virtually from India.
- Possible Modi-Trump meeting unlikely due to Modi’s absence.
- U.S.-India trade ties strained after Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs.
- Washington sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil complicate India’s oil imports.
External affairs minister Jaishankar is likely to represent India at the event. Indian prime minister Narendra Modi will skip the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur and attend it online, missing out on a potential meeting with president Donald Trump.
According to Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, Modi called him to inform him about his virtual participation. “He announced that he would attend online given the Deepavali celebrations that are still being celebrated in India at that time,” Anwar said in a Facebook post. “I respect the decision and extend my Deepavali greetings to him and all the people of India.”
Modi later confirmed the conversation in a post on X but did not explain his decision to skip travel. The PMO and the Ministry of External Affairs of India have not issued any comment so far.
Rising trade tensions between India and the US
Relations between India and the United States have become tense after President Donald Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports. The move, aimed at pressuring India to reduce oil imports from Russia, is one of the highest tariff rates in Asia and has strained ties between the two nations, which had been improving in recent years.
Trump said earlier this week that he had spoken with Modi, who “assured him” that India would reduce its Russian oil purchases. However, New Delhi has not confirmed any such agreement publicly.
Oil sanctions add to diplomatic strain
The latest US sanctions on major Russian oil producers, including Rosneft and Lukoil, have made it even harder for Indian refiners to continue importing Russian crude. Senior executives from Indian oil companies said the new restrictions would make “it all but impossible for oil flows to continue,” speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the issue.
Officials from both sides are in talks to finalize a fair trade agreement. Trump has hinted at a possible reprieve from tariffs if India complies with Washington’s energy policy, but the Indian government has not yet issued any confirmation about curbing its Russian oil imports.
India likely to be represented by Jaishankar
Indian media reports suggest that Indian external affairs minister S. Jaishankar is expected to represent India at the ASEAN summit in Modi’s absence. Scheduling conflicts and ongoing Deepavali festivities were cited as the main reasons for the prime minister’s decision to attend virtually.
According to Bloomberg News, trade negotiations between India and the U.S. are progressing well, and officials from both sides say there are no major differences remaining in the discussions.
