Modi’s ASEAN Miss and the Cost of Balancing Trump and BRICS

When President Donald Trump announced that India had decided to stop buying oil from Moscow after the US imposed sanctions on Russian oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, no one disbelieved him. Contrary to Trump’s previous claims, this announcement was taken seriously by many. The concern grew for India’s relations with the US if it yielded to Washington’s pressure and discontinued importing oil from Russia, a key ally providing 40% of India’s oil needs. The implications for BRICS, a significant anti-West alliance and contributor to 40% of global GDP and population, were also worrisome. India must reaffirm its commitment to BRICS despite US pressures. The recent decision by PM Modi to skip the ASEAN summit, citing Diwali festivities, raised eyebrows. Rumors suggest he avoided facing Trump, who attended the summit in Malaysia. Modi’s absence hindered progress on India’s regional and US relations, as his presence could have made a difference.