External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar will represent Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the upcoming East Asia Summit (EAS) Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on 27 October, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release on Thursday.
"The East Asia Summit will provide an opportunity to deliberate on the challenges to peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and also exchange views on regional and international developments," the MEA said.
The MEA statement follows the call between Prime Minister Modi and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the rotating chair of ASEAN, on Wednesday evening.
In the call, Modi informed Ibrahim that he would be attending 22nd ASEAN-India Summit on 26 October virtually. According to Ibrahim, Modi said that the reason behind not travelling to Malaysia for the ASEAN meetings was the ongoing Diwali celebrations in India.
"I respect his decision and extended my greetings for a happy Deepavali to him and the entire people of India. Malaysia will remain committed to strengthening Malaysia–India relations and further enhancing ASEAN–India cooperation towards a more peaceful and prosperous region," Ibrahim said.
In a post on Thursday morning, Modi also confirmed that he was looking forward to join the ASEAN-India Summit virtually.
The East Asia Summit is viewed as one of the key forums for strategic dialogue in Indo-Pacific. It comprises the 10 Southeast Asian countries- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - and ASEAN dialogue partners - India, Russia, the US, China, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.
US President Donald Trump has also confirmed his presence in Malaysia for the ASEAN meetings, including the EAS, marking his first visit to Indo-Pacific in his second term.
Trump announced on Wednesday that he would be visiting to Malaysia, South Korea and Japan. In South Korea, Trump is scheduled to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Seoul on 31 October-1 November, where he is also expected to hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines.