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The Straits Times (23 October 2025)

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate virtually in the Asean summit in Kuala Lumpur, ruling out a possible meeting with US President Donald Trump and indicating New Delhi and Washington may not be close to sealing a trade deal.

The United States and India have been negotiating for months to thrash out a trade deal, but talks have been complicated by India’s Russian oil imports, which prompted Washington to impose a punitive 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods in August, raising total levies to 50 per cent.

“Look forward to joining the Asean–India Summit virtually, and to further deepening of the Asean–India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” Mr Modi said on X on Oct 23 while referring to a conversation with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

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