New Delhi, Oct. 24 -- India and Malaysia announced on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join the Asean-India Summit virtually, with the PM skipping the regional gathering in Kuala Lumpur due to scheduling and other issues and external affairs minister S Jaishankar representing the country at several key meetings. The development was announced on social media by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Modi, who was earlier expected to travel to Kuala Lumpur on October 25 to participate in meetings related to the Asean Summit. "Had a warm conversation with my dear friend, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia. Congratulated him on Malaysia's Asean Chairmanship and conveyed best wishes for the success of upcoming Summits," Modi said on social media. "Look forward to joining the Asean-India Summit virtually, and to further deepening of the Asean-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," he said. Anwar said on social media that the two leaders had spoken on Wednesday night and discussed efforts to strengthen the bilateral relationship to a "more strategic and comprehensive level". Anwar said Modi informed him that he "would attend online since the Deepavali festival was still being celebrated". "I respect the decision and express my Deepavali greetings to him and all the people of India," Anwar said, adding that Malaysia is committed to strengthen ties with India and enhance Asean-India cooperation for a more peaceful and prosperous region. The external affairs ministry said Modi will virtually attend the Asean-India Summit on October 26 to review bilateral relations and discuss initiatives for strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership. The ministry said Jaishankar will represent the PM at the East Asia Summit on October 27. The ministry said strengthening ties with Asean is a key pillar of India's "Act East" policy and Indo-Pacific vision, and the East Asia Summit is an opportunity to deliberate on "challenges to peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region" and exchange views on regional and international developments. While an Indian government readout gave no reasons for the PM's decision to skip the Asean Summit, which he had last done in 2022, people familiar with the matter said the upcoming Bihar assembly election and lack of any immediate outcomes in trade talks with the US were key factors that influenced the move. Trump is scheduled to travel to Malaysia on October 26, before going to Japan from October 27 to 29, and the Asean Summit was being seen as a possible venue for a potential meeting between the two leaders. While contacts have continued between India and the US on a trade deal - including commerce secretary Rajesh Agrawal's visit to the US last week and a phone call between Trump and Modi on Tuesday - there were few signs of any immediate or tangible outcome in this regard, the people said. Talking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump said he had discussed trade with Modi during Tuesday's phone conversation and claimed India would not "buy much oil from Russia". Modi's social media post and an Indian government readout on the phone call were silent on the issues of trade and Russian oil purchases. Trump went a step further later on Wednesday, claiming to reporters that India's purchases of Russian oil will fall to "almost nothing" by the end of the year. "India, as you know, has told me.that it's a process, you can't just stop it but by the end of the year, they'll be down to almost nothing. That's a big thing, almost 40% of the oil India [buys comes from Russia]," he said....