New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate virtually in the upcoming 47th ASEAN Summit, confirming that he will not travel to Kuala Lumpur for the high-level meet. The announcement follows a warm and cordial telephonic conversation with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, during which both leaders discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties and strengthen the ASEAN-India partnership.
Sharing details of the exchange on social media platform X, PM Modi said, “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. Look forward to joining the ASEAN-India Summit virtually, and to further deepening of the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”
During their discussion, Prime Minister Modi extended his best wishes to Malaysia for successfully hosting the upcoming ASEAN-related meetings. He reaffirmed India’s strong commitment to advancing its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN, emphasizing the importance of continued engagement in regional security, economic cooperation, and connectivity.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in turn, expressed appreciation for Modi’s gesture and underlined the importance of the Malaysia-India relationship. Sharing insights from their conversation, Ibrahim stated, “Last night, I received a phone call from my colleague, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, to discuss efforts to strengthen Malaysia-India bilateral relations to a more strategic and comprehensive level. India remains an important partner for Malaysia in trade, investment, technology, education, and regional security.”
The upcoming ASEAN-India Summit is expected to focus on enhancing cooperation across trade, digital transformation, maritime security, and sustainable development. India, which has maintained close ties with the ASEAN bloc under its Act East Policy, views the partnership as central to its Indo-Pacific strategy.
PM Modi’s decision to join the summit virtually reflects both countries’ shared commitment to maintaining high-level engagement and ensuring that the momentum of cooperation continues despite logistical constraints.
