As Prime Minister Narendra Modi opts to attend the upcoming ASEAN summit in Malaysia virtually, the Congress party has put forth a provocative claim: the Prime Minister is deliberately avoiding an in-person appearance to steer clear of a potentially awkward encounter with former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary for communications, elaborated on this theory, suggesting that while praising President Trump on social media might be acceptable, a face-to-face meeting carries significant risks for the Prime Minister. Ramesh highlighted Trump’s controversial past remarks, including his repeated claims about “stopping Operation Sindoor” and his assertions that India had pledged to cease oil imports from Russia, deeming such a public association “far too risky” for Modi.
It has been confirmed that Prime Minister Modi will participate in the summit remotely, having already held discussions with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
“For days, everyone was wondering: will he or won’t he? Will Mr. Modi actually travel to Kuala Lumpur for the summit?” Ramesh posted on social media platform X.
“Now, it seems clear the Prime Minister won’t be attending in person,” he added.
According to the Congress leader, this decision means missing out on numerous chances for diplomatic embraces and photo opportunities with global leaders, as well as an occasion to project himself as the “self-styled Vishwaguru” (world guru).
“The reason for Mr. Modi’s absence is straightforward,” Ramesh asserted. “He simply wishes to avoid being confronted by President Trump, who is also slated to attend. This mirrors his previous decision to decline an invitation to the Gaza peace summit in Egypt just weeks ago, reportedly for the very same concern.”
He reiterated, “It’s one thing to laud President Trump on social media, but to be physically seen engaging with a figure who has repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims – such as stopping ‘Op Sindoor’ 53 times, and India’s supposed promise to halt Russian oil purchases five times – is a completely different scenario. Such an interaction, he believes, is simply too hazardous for the Prime Minister.”
Ramesh playfully concluded his statement, suggesting the Prime Minister might be humming a classic Bollywood tune: “Bachke rehna re baba, bachke rehna re” (Beware, beware, my friend).
Sources close to the matter have indicated that Prime Minister Modi’s decision not to travel physically to Malaysia for the ASEAN summit, scheduled to commence on October 26, 2025, is primarily due to conflicting scheduling commitments.
The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit is set to take place in Kuala Lumpur from October 26 to 28.