Prime Minister Narendra Modi chats with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the venue of the 25th SCO Heads of State Council Summit, in Tianjin, China, as a seemingly ignored Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif looks on. Photo: X|@Narendra Modi via PTI
Modi, Putin, Xi's bonding steals spotlight at SCO; Pakistan's Shehbaz sidelined
Visuals show the three leaders interacting warmly, while Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif appears isolated at the Tianjin event on Monday
The Modi-Putin-Xi bonhomie, at the Shanghai Cooperation (SCO) summit currently underway in China's Tianjin, has grabbed the spotlight globally.
All eyes were on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin as they bonded with each other and shared a warm exchange, ahead of the SCO plenary session on September 1. Earlier too, they had arrived together at the SCO summit, before engaging in a light exchange that attracted attention.
Pakistan isolated
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Meanwhile, amid the videos and images from the SCO venue showcasing the visible camaraderie among the three heavyweights of the grouping, visuals from the summit showed Modi and Putin walking past Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who stood alone looking ahead, a scene that underscored his isolation at the event.
This moment followed earlier images placing Modi and Sharif far apart, both in the official group photo and during the banquet, where they were seen with their backs to each other.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, from left, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping talk ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit at the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin, China, Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. Photo: AP/PTI
Shortly after the interaction, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared two photos on X featuring himself with Putin and Xi Jinping, captioning it as: “Interactions in Tianjin continue! Exchanging perspectives with President Putin and President Xi during the SCO Summit.”
Modi's address
Later in the day, Modi is set to address the SCO plenary session, where he will outline India’s strategic priorities, including regional security, economic collaboration, and connectivity. He is also scheduled to meet President Putin for bilateral talks, reaffirming India’s longstanding engagement with Russia on defence, energy, and strategic affairs.
Global turbulence
The Tianjin summit unfolds amid a period of intense global turbulence.
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India–Pakistan relations remain tense following May’s Operation Sindoor, while India–China ties show signs of improvement yet continue to be clouded by lingering border disputes. Meanwhile, global trade frictions have escalated, driven by US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff increases, including a steep 50 per cent duty on Indian exports, as a punitive measure for India buying oil from Russia.