NEW DELHI – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur virtually, ruling out a potential face-to-face meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and signaling that a long-discussed trade deal between New Delhi and Washington may still be out of reach.
The U.S. and India have been negotiating for months to finalize a trade agreement, but talks remain strained due to India’s continued imports of Russian oil. These imports prompted Washington to impose an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods in August, raising total duties to 50%.
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Modi confirmed his virtual participation in the ASEAN–India Summit through a post on X, citing the ongoing Deepavali celebrations as the reason for his remote attendance. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also acknowledged Modi’s decision, noting the timing of the Hindu festival.
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The ASEAN Summit, scheduled from October 26 to 28 in Kuala Lumpur, will host leaders from the 10-member Southeast Asian bloc and key partners including China, Japan, and the United States. Trump’s expected visit to Malaysia had fueled speculation about a possible Modi–Trump meeting, though there has been no official confirmation from Washington.
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While both leaders held a phone conversation earlier this week focused on trade, progress on a potential tariff reduction deal reportedly hinges on issues related to energy and agriculture, according to India’s Mint newspaper.