Prime Minister Narendra Modi will skip the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur later this week — choosing to attend virtually instead. The decision comes amid mounting trade tensions with the United States, as President Donald Trump recently imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, the highest on any country. Trump had hinted on Truth Social that he was “looking forward to meeting Modi,” sparking hopes of a bilateral on the sidelines. But that meeting is now off the table. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will represent India at the 20th East Asia Summit on October 27. The Opposition seized the moment — Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed the PM was “avoiding Trump,” taking a filmy swipe saying “Bachke rehna re baba.” Meanwhile, Indo-US trade talks continue, but ties have clearly hit a rough

See Full Page