NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi spoke to his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim and conveyed that he will virtually attend India-Asean summit Sunday, scotching speculation of a meeting with US President Donald Trump. Trump on the margins of ASEAN and East Asia summits in Kuala Lumpur.The ostensible reason for the rare miss to the summit by Modi might be preoccupation with Bihar assembly elections but it also spares him the discomfiture of running into the mercurial president in the middle of a US-India trade deadlock and growing differences over Pakistan-related issues.According to Ibrahim, Modi told him he would attend virtually “given Deepavali festival was still being celebrated in India at that time”. “I respect the decision and extend my Deepavali greetings to him and all the people of India,” said Ibrahim on chairmanship and conveyed best wishes for the success of upcoming summits.“Look forward to deepening of ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” said Modi. MEA later said in a statement that foreign minister S Jaishankar will represent Modi at East Asia Summit on Oct 27.In their conversation late on Wednesday, Ibrahim said India remains an important partner of Malaysia in trade and investment, technology, education and regional security sectors.Meanwhile, Congress on Thursday said the PM decided against visiting Malaysia to avoid “being cornered by Trump” and asked if this was the reason Modi did not travel to Egypt for Gaza peace summit helmed by Trump a few days back.Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said Modi posting messages in praise of Trump on social media is one thing but to be seen hobnobbing in person with a man who has “claimed 53 times that he stopped Operation Sindoor and has claimed five times that India has promised to stop buying oil from Russia” is another matter which “is far too risky for him”.
