Modi to visit Manila for ASEAN Summit; maritime security, trade on agenda

Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Manila on Monday (November 16, 2026) for a three-day visit to attend the annual India-ASEAN summit that is expected to focus on boosting maritime security cooperation and enhancing trade and investment ties.

He will also attend the annual East Asia Summit. Philippines is hosting the summits in its capacity as the current chair of the 11-nation ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

Mr. Modi is also set to join Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for the annual Quad summit in Manila. There is, however, no official word on the Quad summit.

At the India-ASEAN and the East Asia summits, New Delhi is expected to pitch for deeper maritime cooperation among the like-minded nations in the Indo-Pacific.

The ASEAN is considered one of the most influential groupings in the region, and India and several other countries including the U.S., China, Japan and Australia are its dialogue partners.

"Prime Minister Modi will be travelling to Manila to attend the 23rd ASEAN-India summit and the 21st meeting of the ASEAN-led East Asia Summit process. The visit will take place from November 16 to 18," said Rudrendra Tandon, Secretary (East) in the External Affairs Ministry.

He said Mr. Modi's programme in Manila will include attending a dinner to be hosted by the President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the visiting dignitaries of this summit process and bilateral meetings.

Mr. Modi will attend the ASEAN-India Summit and the East Asia Summit process on November 17.

The top official said enhancing maritime security and trade and investment ties will be among the key focus areas at the Summit.

The East Asia Summit is the premier forum in the Asia-Pacific region to deal with issues relating to security and defence. Since its inception in 2005, it has played a significant role in the strategic, geopolitical, and economic evolution of East Asia.

Apart from the ASEAN member states, the East Asia Summit includes India, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. and Russia.

"There is also a very strong demand from the Indian community to meet the Prime Minister. So we are trying to adjust that also in his schedule," Mr. Tandon said at a media briefing.

The secretary said a deeper India-ASEAN engagement will help both sides becoming more resilient to handle the rapid geopolitical developments.

The ties between India and ASEAN have been on a significant upswing in the last few years with focus being on boosting cooperation in the areas of trade and investment as well as security and defence.

The theme of this year's ASEAN Summit is "Navigating the Future".

Asked about the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), Mr. Tandon said New Delhi favours the review of the trade pact to be completed as soon as possible.

"That conversation is ongoing," he said.

Asked about the planned Quad summit, Mr. Tandon said, "We don't have any information on this at the moment."

Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the next edition of the Quad Summit is set to be held on the margins of the ASEAN Summit in the Philippines.

India had planned to host the Quad Leaders' Summit last year but it didn't take place as there was no clarity from Washington on Mr. Trump's visit to the country.

India / ASEAN / India-ASEAN / diplomacy / Narendra Modi