At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin were seen engaged in friendly conversations, while Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif appeared as a mere spectator on the stage. Modi and Putin arrived together and walked ahead, seemingly ignoring Sharif. The two leaders walked in front of the Pakistani Prime Minister, who was left behind. A short video has surfaced showing Sharif watching the two leaders walk away. The Pakistani leader also appeared detached from the conversation between Modi, Xi, and Putin.
Sharif seemed isolated on the stage when the leaders assembled for formalities such as photo sessions during the summit. Standing nearby, he observed as Modi and Putin continued their discussions and walked together. A short video capturing this moment has gone viral. Later, in a group photograph posted by Modi on Twitter, Shahbaz Sharif could be seen standing far away from Modi in the lineup of heads of state.
The SCO Summit adopted India’s stance against terrorism by explicitly mentioning the Pahalgam terror attack in its joint statement. The summit produced an unusual but significant image of Russia, India, and China aligning after a considerable period. When Putin and Modi met on the summit stage, they hugged each other warmly. Modi remarked that it was a pleasure to see Putin. Soon after, the two leaders approached Xi Jinping and held a brief discussion. The leaders later met again after the photo session.
Interactions in Tianjin continue! Exchanging perspectives with President Putin and President Xi during the SCO Summit. pic.twitter.com/K1eKVoHCvv
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 1, 2025
In a notable gesture, Modi and Putin left the summit stage together in the same car. Modi also tweeted a photograph of this moment. Through this, Modi signaled clearly that threats from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Russian oil purchases would not deter India. He sent a strong message to Putin that oil imports from Russia would continue.
The summit’s joint statement also reflected an improvement in India-China relations. It called for stringent action against cross-border terrorism and urged that those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack be brought to justice. Furthermore, Modi’s suggestion to avoid double standards in combating terrorism was included in the final document.
The scenes at the SCO Summit underscored the growing strength of Russia-India ties. With China also part of this alignment, Modi, Putin, and Xi collectively sent a strong message to Donald Trump that they would not accept American hegemony or unilateral moves. Modi had also held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping a day earlier. This summit marked their first meeting since the United States imposed a 50% tariff on India for continuing to import oil from Russia. Washington has accused India of indirectly supporting the Ukraine war. The deepening ties among India, China, and Russia hold immense significance in the present global context.
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