Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for the upcoming 47th ASEAN Summit, but will instead attend virtually.

Here are the full details:

• Reason for Skipping In-Person Attendance: The official reason conveyed by PM Modi to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during a phone call was the ongoing Deepavali (Diwali) celebrations in India. Reports also mention other domestic priorities like the upcoming Bihar state elections and the Chhath festival on October 28.
• Indian Representation: India will be represented in person at the summit meetings (including the East Asia Summit) by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
• PM Modi’s Participation: PM Modi has confirmed he will join the ASEAN-India Summit virtually.
• Summit Dates and Location: The ASEAN Summit meetings are scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from October 26 to 28.
• India-US Context: The decision means that a highly anticipated in-person meeting between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump, who is also attending the summit, will not take place. This comes amidst ongoing trade tensions and differing public statements from the US President regarding India’s Russian oil imports.
• Diplomatic Shift: PM Modi has generally led the Indian delegation at the ASEAN-India and East Asia Summits in recent years, making his decision to attend virtually noteworthy. His planned trip to Cambodia, which was to be alongside the Malaysia visit, has also been postponed.