Economy
Modi, Trump likely to meet Quad leaders in Manila before Trump-Xi talks
A possible Quad summit on the ASEAN sidelines in mid-November could shape how India's long-awaited US trade deal fares as Washington eyes a thaw with Beijing.
Desh Flash desk5 November 2026, 10:45 am IST2 minUpdated 5 November 2026, 10:45 am IST
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump are likely to be in Manila this month for the ASEAN and East Asia Summit meetings, and a Quad leaders' gathering on the sidelines is expected. The Philippines, led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., hosts the events from November 14 to 18. Trump is then expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shenzhen.
No one-on-one between Modi and Trump has been scheduled yet. But Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese are expected to join them for the Quad. It would be the first summit of the four-nation grouping since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. Under Joe Biden, leaders met five times, and he hosted three of those.
The backdrop is a political shift in Washington. The Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in the midterms, a result that weakens Trump at home. A Democratic Congress can summon officials, demand documents, hold up nominees and use its leverage over spending. It will also look harder at how tariffs are used.
It does not, however, strip Trump of his executive authority over diplomacy and negotiations. He can still pursue trade arrangements with India or China, though turning some initiatives into law will be tougher.
For India, this cuts two ways. A weakened president might lean more protectionist to shore up support at home. But he also needs visible economic wins, and that could give New Delhi more bargaining room in a trade agreement that was said to be close to completion. Modi and Trump agreed in February 2025 to pursue a bilateral deal, aiming for a first tranche by that autumn.
The sequencing matters just as much. If Trump strikes a trade understanding with Xi to cool tariff tensions, partners such as India, Japan and Australia will watch closely for what it says about Washington's commitment to the Indo-Pacific and the Quad. A summit in Manila just before the Shenzhen meeting would give these capitals a chance to hear Trump's intentions first.
Read the original report: Deccan Herald.
More in Economy
EconomyMojtaba Khamenei says US elections won't change Iran policy after midterms
EconomyEPFO wage ceiling now ₹25,000: what the PF overhaul means for workers
Economy