Tianjin: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday shared a car ride to the venue of their bilateral meeting in Tianjin, China, shortly after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.
In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, “After the proceedings at the SCO Summit venue, President Putin and I travelled together to the venue of our bilateral meeting. Conversations with him are always insightful.”
The meeting comes as India and Russia seek to strengthen ties amid rising trade tensions with the United States. Washington recently imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods, including a 25% penalty linked to India’s purchase of discounted Russian crude. White House officials have repeatedly criticised New Delhi for maintaining close energy and trade ties with Moscow, with one trade adviser accusing India of acting as a “laundromat for the Kremlin.”
At the SCO Summit, Modi underscored the importance of enhancing connectivity among member states to boost trade and trust. He highlighted projects such as the Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor, aimed at improving links with Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Reflecting on India’s 2023 SCO presidency, the Prime Minister said new areas of cooperation—startups, innovation, youth empowerment, digital inclusion, and shared Buddhist heritage—were introduced to expand the organisation’s scope beyond governments.
President Putin, for his part, stressed that the SCO is emerging as a platform for building a new Eurasian security framework to replace outdated Eurocentric models. He noted the growing use of national currencies in trade settlements and described the pace of SCO cooperation as “impressive.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping, addressing the summit, urged member nations to uphold fairness and justice while rejecting Cold War-era confrontations. “We must promote a correct historical perspective on World War II and oppose the Cold War mentality, bloc confrontation, and bullying practices,” Xi said.
The 2025 SCO Summit highlighted the organisation’s growing role in shaping multipolar global governance, at a time when US President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policies have strained Washington’s relations with allies.
