Subhechcha Ganguly 
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has confirmed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the upcoming 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur virtually, as the event coincides with Diwali celebrations in India.
“We discussed the organization of the 47th ASEAN Summit scheduled later this month. Prime Minister Modi informed me that he would be attending virtually due to the ongoing Deepavali festivities in India,” Anwar Ibrahim shared on social media.
Highlighting his recent discussions with an Indian official, Anwar emphasized both nations’ commitment to elevating Malaysia–India relations to a “more strategic and comprehensive level,” noting strong cooperation in trade, technology, education, and regional security.
In a separate post, PM Modi expressed his appreciation for Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship and confirmed his virtual participation. “Had a warm conversation with my dear friend, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia. I look forward to joining the ASEAN-India Summit virtually and further deepening our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” Modi wrote on X.
India and ASEAN have shared robust ties since establishing a sectoral partnership in 1992, which evolved into a full dialogue in 1995, a summit-level partnership in 2002, and a strategic partnership in 2012. The regional bloc includes Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
