In a powerful display of geopolitical realignment, three of the world’s most influential leaders—Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin—shared the spotlight at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China. The handshakes, candid interactions, and viral moments between the trio are being widely interpreted as a clear message of defiance to the “America First” doctrine and the recent trade war waged by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The symbolism was unmistakable. While the choreography of their interactions, which included walking together, impromptu huddles, and even a car ride, may have been unplanned, they presented a united front to the world, notably without Washington in the frame. For Donald Trump, who recently imposed a 50% tariff on Indian imports—a move partly justified by India’s oil trade with Russia—the camaraderie between these leaders represents a quiet humiliation.
Key Moments from the SCO Summit
The two-day SCO summit was rich with diplomatic significance and visual metaphors:
- A Historic Visit: The summit marked PM Modi’s first visit to China in seven years. On Sunday, he held a bilateral meeting with President Xi, where both leaders vowed to expand trade and investment to stabilize global commerce, a clear pushback against Washington’s trade protectionism.
- The Unmistakable Bonhomie: The most talked-about moments occurred on Monday, the second day of the summit. Viral videos and photos showed PM Modi, Xi, and Putin engaging in warm, candid exchanges. In one particularly striking clip, PM Modi is seen pulling Putin and Xi closer for a group photo, a powerful symbol of the emerging trilateral dynamic. This show of unity suggests former rivals are finding common ground out of necessity and a shared frustration with U.S. actions.
- Modi and Putin’s Carpool: One of the most significant visual moments was PM Modi and President Putin sharing a car to their bilateral meeting. This gesture is highly unusual given Putin’s strict security protocol. During their talks, Modi noted that India and Russia “stood shoulder to shoulder, even in the toughest situations,” while Putin hailed their “very good” relationship.
- A Veiled Swipe at the West: Both Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin used their speeches to subtly but clearly criticize the West. Xi spoke out against “bullying behavior” from certain countries, a thinly veiled reference to the U.S. Putin, meanwhile, used his address to defend Russia’s actions in Ukraine, blaming the West for provoking the conflict.
- Shehbaz Sharif Left Watching: The summit also highlighted the strained relations between India and Pakistan. PM Modi and Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif were in the same room for the first time since the recent military conflict following the Pahalgam terror attack. A viral video showed Modi and Putin walking past Sharif while deep in conversation, leaving the Pakistani premier to watch from the sidelines.
The SCO summit comes at a time when all three countries are facing pressure from the Trump administration. The visible solidarity between Modi, Xi, and Putin has been widely interpreted as a collective stand against a U.S. foreign policy that they see as isolating and unfair.