PM Modi to Attend India-ASEAN, East Asia Summits in Manila Next Week

The proposed meeting is expected to be a significant diplomatic engagement for the four countries, particularly as the Quad seeks to reinforce its strategic relevance in the Indo-Pacific region after a gap of more than two years.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had indicated in October that the leaders’ summit would take place in Manila during the ASEAN gathering. The meeting is expected to be the first Quad leaders’ summit since September 2024 and the first to be attended by Trump as US president.

Focus on regional security and economic cooperation

The Quad, comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia, has emerged as an important platform for cooperation on maritime security, infrastructure development, emerging technologies, supply-chain resilience and economic security.

The grouping is widely seen as an important element of efforts to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific, particularly amid China’s growing military and economic influence in the region.

The leaders are expected to discuss regional security challenges, cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, maritime coordination and efforts to strengthen economic ties. The meeting could also provide an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to a rules-based regional order.

For India, the summit will be particularly important as New Delhi seeks to maintain strategic engagement with Washington while deepening partnerships with Japan and Australia.

India-US tensions remain a challenge

The delayed summit has also highlighted the difficulties in India-US relations since Trump returned to the White House.

Trade disagreements, US tariffs on Indian goods, immigration restrictions and deportations have contributed to tensions between the two countries. Washington’s engagement with Pakistan has also remained a concern for New Delhi.

Despite these differences, both countries continue to share strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific, defence cooperation, technology and reducing dependence on supply chains dominated by China.

The Manila meeting could therefore offer Modi and Trump an opportunity to engage directly and assess the future direction of bilateral relations.

A crucial test for the Quad

The upcoming summit will be closely watched for signs of renewed momentum within the four-nation grouping.

The long gap since the 2024 meeting has raised questions about the Quad’s ability to maintain high-level political coordination amid changing geopolitical priorities.

For New Delhi, hosting the summit remains an important diplomatic objective, but the Manila gathering could help restore momentum and demonstrate that differences between member countries have not weakened their commitment to regional cooperation.