PM Modi's virtual ASEAN Summit appearance signals cautious diplomacy around Trump

In the glittering corridors of Kuala Lumpur’s convention centres, where Southeast Asia’s leaders will converge to chart a multipolar future, an empty chair will speak volumes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi—the indefatigable globetrotter who has crisscrossed continents to etch India’s imprint on the world—will address the 47th ASEAN Summit and the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit virtually.

His conspicuous absence has fuelled fervent speculation. Is Delhi dodging a diplomatic dust-up with Donald Trump, the brash American bulldozer barreling back into Asia’s arena? From New Delhi’s vantage, this absence isn’t mere scheduling sleight-of-hand. It’s a calculated sidestep in a high-stakes tango with Washington, where economic edicts masquerade as alliances and trusted ties to Moscow are twisted into trea