Modi interacts with world leaders in Philippines

Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, at a gala dinner reception hosted by Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte here on Sunday ahead of this year's India-Asean and East Asia Summits.

In a tweet attached with a picture, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Modi spoke to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and Chinese Premier Li at the gala dinner to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) here.

Kumar said that Modi engaged in a "warm and cordial conversation" with Li.

"Engaging conversation with a friend. PM @narendramodi with Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister of Russia at the Gala Dinner #Manila," he said in a separate tweet.

Another tweet by Modi showed him smiling warmly and shaking hands with President Trump.

Modi arrived here earlier on Sunday on a three-day visit to the Philippines to attend the 15th India-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the 12th East Asia summits to be held here on Tuesday.

This is the first Prime Ministerial visit from India to the Philippines in 36 years since the visit of Indira Gandhi in 1981.

This year marks the 25th year of the India-Asean dialogue partnership and the golden jubilee of the formation of the Asean regional bloc.

The Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Ahead of the summits, Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with Duterte here on Monday. He is also scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Trump on Monday.

Similar meetings between Modi and other visiting leaders are also being arranged on the sidelines of the summits.

--IANS

ab/vd