Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin and shared a warm moment on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on Monday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin shared a warm moment on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on Monday. The two leaders shook hands and hugged each other. After the meeting, PM Modi took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to share a photograph of the warm exchange, captioning it, โAlways a delight to meet President Putin.โ
PM Modi shares insights on talks with Jinping, Putin
“Interactions in Tianjin continue! Exchanging perspectives with President Putin and President Xi during the SCO Summit,” PM Modi added.ย
Ahead of the Plenary Session, PM Modi was also seen interacting with the world leaders.ย
Chinese President Xi also joins PM Modi-Putin
Chinese President Xi Jinping was alsoย seen arriving together with PM Modi, where their warm interaction quickly captured global attention. Images from the summit venue showed all the three leaders exchanging handshakes and engaging in a brief, light-hearted conversation.ย
Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to address the plenary session of the SCO Summit today. With leaders from over 20 nations in attendance, the Summit holds significance importance particularly against the backdrop of Indiaโs evolving diplomatic equations with the United States and China.
Modi-Putin meet sends a message amid rising US tariff pressureย
PM Modiโs warm interaction with Russiaโs Putin at the SCO Summit in Tianjin comes at a tense moment in global diplomacy, as India faces escalating trade pressure from the United States. The meeting between the two leaders, marked by a visibly cordial exchange, follows US President Donald Trump’s recent decision to impose sweeping 50% tariffs on Indian imports half of which are reportedly in response to Indiaโs ongoing energy trade with Russia.
President Trump and several key members of his administration have criticised India for continuing oil imports from Russia, claiming that such purchases indirectly support Russiaโs war efforts in Ukraine.ย Trumpโs trade adviser, Peter Navarro, went so far as to suggest that revenue from Russian oil sales to India is being used to fund the conflict.
India, for its part, has maintained that its decisions are based on market dynamics and national interest. Indian officials have repeatedly clarified that its oil purchases are guided by pricing, supply stability, and broader geopolitical considerations.