Modi Skipped ASEAN Summit to Avoid Pakistan Discussion with Trump: Report

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi skipped the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, reportedly to avoid an awkward encounter with US President Donald Trump, according to Bloomberg. Officials in New Delhi feared Trump would once again claim credit for mediating the Pakistan-India ceasefire following the May conflict, which India has repeatedly denied. Instead of attending in person, Modi chose to address the summit virtually to sidestep the issue ahead of state elections in Bihar. This marks the second time Modi has avoided a potential meeting with Trump, having also skipped the UN General Assembly session a month earlier. Bilateral ties between Washington and New Delhi have soured since Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian exports, half of which penalized India for purchasing Russian oil. Trump has said his diplomatic efforts prevented a “bad nuclear war” between Pakistan and India. Islamabad credited him for brokering the May 10 ceasefire, nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Recently, Trump praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, calling them “great people” dedicated to peace.