Modi’s Foreign Retreat: Shunning Trumpian Orbit and Politics

As Trump’s garrulous musings on an “India-Pakistan ceasefire with a trade twist” verge on verbal diarrhoea, Modi can ill afford an embarrassment on foreign soil—especially when the Bihar poll turf is nearing its climax.

By MANISH ANAND

New Delhi, October 23, 2025 — Malaysian Prime Minister Ibrahim Anwar broke the news that India will virtually take part in the 47^th ASEAN Summit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the marquee summit virtually, Ibrahim said in a post on X.

After skipping the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and Israel-Hamas Ceasefire deal in Sharm el-Sheikh, Modi will be skipping a third major global event in quick successions. Ibrahim in his post said that “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.”

“We also touched on the organization 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,” added the Malaysian Prime Minister.

The 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits are scheduled to take place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from October 26 to 28. Chhath festival, incidentally, coincides with the ASEAN Summit.

Modi is a key campaigner for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Bihar Assembly elections. Chhath festival is an identity of Bihar. Railways currently is busy marshalling additional resources to facilitate travel of the people from Bihar to reach their respective destinations from all parts of the country. Railway stations in industrial states are showing full capacity as the people rush to catch trains to Bihar.

On the surface, Modi skipping the ASEAN Summit appears linked to the Bihar elections. The Prime Minister, as his wont, may make appearances in Bihar during the Chhath festival. Political pundits have ruled that the Bihar elections may turn out to be a toughest electoral battle for the BJP and Modi.

Yet the pattern of Modi skipping global events in quick succession invites scrutiny for his relations with US President Donald Trump. The India-Pakistan conflict in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack now defines Trumpian narrative on South Asia. Trump has undeniably hyphenated India and Pakistan to make a Modi handshake with him politically untenable.

As Trump’s garrulous musings on an “India-Pakistan ceasefire with a trade twist” verge on verbal diarrhoea, Modi can ill afford an embarrassment on foreign soil—especially when the Bihar poll turf is nearing its climax.

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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