RussiaIndiaChina troika on display; PM Modi, Putin, Xi share warm moments at SCO Summit

Prime Minister Modi, Russian President Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping displayed camaraderie at the SCO Summit 2025 in Tianjin, exchanging handshakes and hugs.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday shared warm moments with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping as they met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin. The three leaders exchanged handshakes, hugs and smiles in a rare display of camaraderie.

Sharing pictures on X, PM Modi wrote: “Interactions in Tianjin continue! Exchanging perspectives with President Putin and President Xi during the SCO Summit.

In another post, PM Modi shared photos of his warm interaction with Putin and said, Always a delight to meet President Putin!”. The 25th meeting of the Heads of State Council of the 10-member SCO saw leaders charting the bloc’s future roadmap. Jinping welcomed the participants as discussions got under way.

The summit was formally inaugurated on Sunday evening with a grand banquet hosted by Xi, attended by PM Modi, Putin, and other leaders. This year’s gathering is the largest in SCO’s history, with over 20 foreign leaders and 10 heads of international organisations — including UN Secretary-General António Guterres — invited to the “SCO Plus” format under China’s presidency.

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