The 47th ASEAN Summit and related summits officially began in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Sunday under the theme ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to Malaysia but will join the proceedings virtually.
PM Modi’s participation underscores India’s commitment to strengthening the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and advancing regional cooperation.
In a social media post on Thursday, PM Modi conveyed his congratulations to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Malaysia assuming the ASEAN Chairmanship and extended his best wishes for the success of the summit meetings.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is hosting more than 30 heads of state and government from the ten ASEAN member states, along with top officials from key dialogue partners, including the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, and the European Union.
US President Donald Trump will attend in person and is expected to witness the signing of a peace accord between Cambodia and Thailand following deadly border clashes in July.
Other international leaders attending include South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Leaders from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand are also participating.
From ASEAN, the attendees include Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Laotian Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, and Timor-Leste’s President Jose Ramos-Horta.
Timor-Leste is expected to officially join ASEAN as its 11th member during the summit.
The summit will address multiple pressing regional issues.
Leaders will discuss US tariffs, regional trade via the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Myanmar’s situation, including the Rohingya crisis, South China Sea tensions, and the ongoing Gaza conflict.
They will also debate access to rare earth minerals, which China heavily controls and are critical for high-tech manufacturing.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar emphasised that the summit aims for ‘positive outcomes’ on trade and regional stability, highlighting the importance of RCEP and exploring ways to expand its membership and boost trade.
ASEAN will also engage with global organisations, including the UN, World Bank, and IMF.
Authorities have deployed over 10,000 police officers in Kuala Lumpur to secure the summit proceedings.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak will represent Russia, while ASEAN has excluded Myanmar’s military leadership following the 2021 coup.
European Council President Antonio Costa and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are among other notable participants.
The 47th ASEAN Summit marks a critical platform for dialogue on regional cooperation, security, trade, and sustainable development, with India playing an active role through Prime Minister Modi’s virtual engagement.
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