PM Modi, Trump to meet in Manila next month?

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Manila on November 16 for the ASEAN summit, increasing the possibility of a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Although an official confirmation of Modi's trip is pending, sources suggest a meeting on the sidelines could be significant as they seek to resolve the deadlock in negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has indicated both nations are converging on a resolution, with US Ambassador Sergio Gor expressing confidence that the deal will materialize soon as key issues have been addressed. The two leaders last convened on the margins of the G7 summit in France this year. Trump's visit to Manila precedes his trip to China for the APEC summit.

With Australian and Japanese leaders also in Manila, there is also an opportunity for a Quad summit, which has been absent for the past two years. Should the Quad summit not occur in Manila, Trump could host it in Florida as part of the G20 festivities in December. The Quad foreign ministers will convene later this month alongside the G20 foreign ministers meeting in Atlanta.