Yuanyue Dang
Three major world powers – China, India and Russia – all with various frictions with the United States, projected an image of solidarity on Monday in front of the international media during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin.
During his first visit to China in seven years, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the hands of his counterparts – Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping – and pulled them closer.
As the three leaders mingled, one interpreter translated Putin’s words, which began with “We three friends …”, before a broadcast signal provided by the summit press centre drowned out the rest of the translation.
Modi laughed several times during the conversation and clasped Putin’s hands a second time.
Earlier, Modi and Putin embraced on the red carpet and exchanged greetings before walking hand in hand towards a smiling Xi, who was waiting to greet them.
India’s relations with the US have deteriorated sharply following repeated claims by US President Donald Trump during the India-Pakistan conflict that he had brokered a ceasefire between the two nations.
Last week, Trump’s trade adviser, Peter Navarro, described India as “a massive refining hub and oil money laundromat for the Kremlin”, further upsetting Modi.
The moves have been seen as Trump’s “humiliation” of Modi, with whom he had previously enjoyed close ties.
India, which has been slapped with 50 per cent tariffs on goods exported to the US, is trying to mend ties with neighbouring China after a simmering border dispute turned deadly in 2020. Relations started to thaw at a summit in Kazan, Russia, last October and a partial patrol agreement was put in place with both sides pledging to maintain a “peaceful” border.
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