India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to Malaysia for the 47th ASEAN Summit later this month. Instead, he will join the summit virtually due to the Deepavali celebrations in India. Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed this on Thursday.
Modi’s Decision and Anwar’s Response
Anwar Ibrahim shared the update on social media, saying, “We touched on the organization of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur at the end of this month. He informed me that he will attend virtually due to the ongoing Deepavali celebrations in India at that time.”
Had a warm conversation with my dear friend, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia. Congratulated him on Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship and conveyed best wishes for the success of upcoming Summits. Look forward to joining the ASEAN-India Summit virtually, and to further…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 23, 2025
He added, “I respect his decision and extended my greetings for a happy Deepavali to him and the entire people of India.”
Strengthening Malaysia-India Ties
Anwar also spoke about a recent discussion with a colleague of Narendra Modi regarding bilateral relations. He said, “Last night, I received a phone call from a colleague of the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Narendra Modi, to discuss efforts to strengthen Malaysia-India bilateral relations to a more strategic and comprehensive level. India remains an important partner for Malaysia in the fields of trade and investment, in addition to close cooperation in the sectors of technology, education, and regional security.”
He further emphasized Malaysia’s commitment to both bilateral and regional cooperation, stating, “Malaysia will remain committed to strengthening Malaysia-India relations and further enhancing ASEAN-India cooperation towards a more peaceful and prosperous region.”
Modi’s Statement on Virtual Participation
On Thursday, Modi also confirmed his virtual attendance. He posted on X, “Had a warm conversation with my dear friend, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia. Congratulated him on Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship and conveyed best wishes for the success of the upcoming Summits.”
He added, “Look forward to joining the ASEAN-India Summit virtually, and to further deepening of the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”
ASEAN Summit and Participants
The ASEAN meetings are scheduled from October 26-28 in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia has invited several leaders from dialogue partner countries, including US President Donald Trump, who will visit on October 26 for a two-day trip.
ASEAN-India Relations
ASEAN-India dialogue began with a sectoral partnership in 1992, upgraded to full dialogue in 1995, a summit-level partnership in 2002, and a strategic partnership in 2012.
The 10 ASEAN member countries include Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
In recent years, India and ASEAN have focused on boosting trade, investment, security, and defense cooperation. Modi’s virtual participation underscores the importance of continued collaboration between India and ASEAN countries.
