All eyes are now on the ASEAN summit in Malaysia this October as both US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending it, raising the possibility of an in-person meeting. This
is keenly awaited after the phone call they had on September 16, on the eve of PM Modi’s 75th birthday.
Top sources say PM Modi is not travelling to the US for the UN General Assembly at the end of this month. Sources also said there has been no discussion yet on a Trump-Modi meeting in Malaysia. Neither India nor the US has officially announced Modi and Trump’s respective visits to the ASEAN Summit.
But PM Modi has been consistently attending ASEAN Summits in the past and is expected to attend the same this year too.
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has confirmed that Donald Trump will visit Malaysia next month, in conjunction with the 47th ASEAN Summit.
Speaking at the Ambank Group’s 50th Golden Jubilee Anniversary Dinner, Anwar said Trump had called to convey his intention to attend the summit, which will also be attended by Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
“President Trump called to inform that he will be visiting Malaysia next month to coincide with the 47th ASEAN Summit,” he said.
If a meeting between Trump and Modi indeed happens at the ASEAN Summit scheduled for October 26-28 this year, it may lay the ground for the QUAD Leaders’ Summit in India in November and the possible travel of Trump to India for the same.
The next US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, last week said Trump remains committed to travelling for the QUAD Summit and meeting the QUAD leaders, though Gor did not commit to any date. When Trump and Modi spoke over the phone on June 17, the US President had accepted the PM’s invitation to visit India for the QUAD Summit.
However, India is yet to hear further from the White House on Trump’s schedule.
