Putin & Modi not going to M'sia for Asean Summit despite Trump flying in

While U.S. President Donald Trump will travel to Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia for the upcoming Asean Summit, two other world leaders will not be there in person.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin will be sending Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak in his stead.

Meanwhile, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be attending in person, but will dial in virtually.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed the absences of the two leaders in a Facebook post.

According to Anwar, Modi informed him in a phone call that he would not be flying to KL as the Deepavali celebrations in India would still be ongoing.

Anwar affirmed the two countries' ties in trade, investment and sectors like technology.

He also confirmed that Putin would not be attending in a briefing to the media, Bernama reported.

According to Anwar, the Russian president is exploring the possibility of visiting Malaysia in 2026 instead.

Tensions with the U.S.

While both leaders have ostensible reasons for not attending the Asean Summit, the presence of Trump may offer an alternative explanation.

Trump recently slapped steep tariffs on Indian exports to the U.S., to much fanfare, back in August 2025.

The reason? Trump blamed India's purchases of Russian oil and weapons for prolonging the invasion of Ukraine.

Modi has refused to back down or change course, saying India could not accept Trump's trade demands as he needed to protect the farmers.

Instead, he has encouraged Indian consumers to "buy local" as a way to circumvent the U.S. tariffs.

Meanwhile, Trump is reportedly frustrated with the lack of progress on a ceasefire deal between Ukraine and Russia.

He cancelled a planned meeting with Putin in Budapest, Hungary on Oct. 21, and announced sanctions on Russian state oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil on Oct. 23, in a sign of worsening relations between Moscow and Washington.

Putin has so far shown little interest in stopping the invasion as the war in Ukraine will soon pass the three-year mark.

Top image from Modi FB, Trump FB, Russia President X.