Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday took a sharp jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for opting out of attending the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ramesh suggested that Modi's decision to participate virtually, rather than in person, stems from his reluctance to face US President Donald Trump, who will also be present at the summit.
In a post on X, Ramesh, who serves as the General Secretary in charge of Communication for the Congress party, quipped, "The PM may well be recalling that old hit Bollywood number: Bachke rehna re baba, bachke rehna re." He elaborated, "For days the speculation has been – will He or won't He? Will Modi go to Kuala Lumpur for the summit or not? Now it appears certain that the PM will not go. It means the loss of so many opportunities to hug and get photo ops with world leaders or to flaunt himself as the self-styled Vishwaguru."
Ramesh further claimed that Modi's decision mirrors his earlier refusal to attend a Gaza peace summit held on October 13 in Egypt, asserting that the reason was the same. "The reason why Modi is not going is simple. He just doesn't want to be cornered by President Trump who will also be there. He refused an invitation to attend the Gaza peace summit in Egypt a few weeks back, precisely for this reason," the Congress MP stated.
He went on to argue that it has become "too risky" for Modi to be seen interacting publicly with Trump, particularly in light of the US President's repeated claims about influencing India's policies. Ramesh noted, "Posting messages in praise of President Trump on social media is one thing. But to be seen hobnobbing physically with the man who has claimed 53 times that he stopped Op Sindoor and has claimed 5 times that India has promised to stop buying oil from Russia is another matter. It's far too risky for him."
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Ramesh's remarks followed a statement by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday, confirming that Modi would not be travelling to Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN Summit. Instead, Modi informed Ibrahim that he would participate virtually due to the ongoing Deepavali celebrations in India. "We touched on the organisation of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur at the end of this month. He informed me that he will attend virtually due to the ongoing Deepavali celebrations in India at that time," Ibrahim said. He added, "I respect his decision and extended my greetings for a happy Deepavali to him and the entire people of India."
Ibrahim also shared details of a recent conversation with a colleague of Modi, emphasising efforts to bolster Malaysia-India bilateral relations. "Last night, I received a phone call from a colleague of the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Narendra Modi, to discuss efforts to strengthen Malaysia-India bilateral relations to a more strategic and comprehensive level. India remains an important partner for Malaysia in the fields of trade and investment, in addition to close cooperation in the sectors of technology, education, and regional security," he said. Ibrahim concluded by reaffirming Malaysia's commitment to enhancing both bilateral ties with India and ASEAN-India cooperation for a "more peaceful and prosperous region".
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday (local time) his upcoming diplomatic engagements, including a trip to Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan. He highlighted a significant meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea as part of his itinerary.
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