PM Modi, Xi Jinping and Putin share light moment at SCO Summit in Tianjin

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared images of light interactions with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the SCO Summit in Tianjin. The informal moments reflect growing India-China engagement and a collaborative stance amid global geopolitical pressures.

Tianjin: Striking photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s informal interaction with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin have surfaced, capturing a light moment shared between the three leaders on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.

The images showed all three leaders smiling and conversing, reminiscent of a similar photo taken during the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia.

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In the latest photo, Putin is seen on the left, Prime Minister Modi at the centre, and Xi Jinping on the right, walking together in a relaxed manner to pose for a SCO family photo.

Sharing the picture on X, PM Modi wrote, “Interactions in Tianjin continue! Exchanging perspectives with President Putin and President Xi during the SCO Summit.”

The Prime Minister also posted another image with Russian President Putin, where the two leaders were seen shaking hands and hugging.

PM Modi shared the photo on social media and captioned it, “Always a delight to meet President Putin!”

Earlier on Sunday, PM Modi held talks with Xi Jinping, during which both leaders pledged to address lingering border disputes and enhance cooperation between India and China.

This marks the Prime Minister’s first visit to China since relations between the two neighbouring nations deteriorated following the deadly border clashes in 2020.

The meeting comes amid a gradual stabilisation of India-China ties after the leadership of both nations reached an understanding in Russia in 2024.

That breakthrough was achieved following an agreement on new patrolling protocols along the 3,500-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC), which helped defuse a tense standoff that had persisted for nearly four years.

This latest round of interactions also takes place against the backdrop of the West’s efforts to diplomatically isolate Russia over its ongoing war in Ukraine and amid renewed tariff threats from the United States, adding further geopolitical weight to the three-way engagement at the SCO platform.

Analysts reckon that the coming together of PM Modi, Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin could prove “symbolic” in reshaping the global order in light of Washington’s tariff threats.