Xi, Putin, and Modi Meet at Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit
World leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, are convening in Tianjin, China, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. This meeting comes as the United States imposes steep tariffs on India and threatens sanctions on Russia over Ukraine, casting a shadow over the summit's proceedings.
Background
The SCO summit, which welcomes over 20 heads of state and representatives from international organizations, aims to address regional security, economic cooperation, and cultural ties. It also focuses on areas such as transport, energy, digitalization, artificial intelligence, and green development. The gathering occurs amid escalating global tensions, including the Ukraine conflict, Israel's war in Gaza, and trade disputes sparked by US President Donald Trump's tariff policies.
Key Developments
Modi's visit to China, his first in seven years, comes as India's relations with Washington have soured due to increased US tariffs. The Indian Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, among other leaders, prior to the SCO summit.
Xi and Putin also met ahead of the summit, portraying a close alliance under what they have termed a limitless
partnership. Putin is accompanied by a significant delegation, comprising nearly all of the cabinet members and representatives of large companies.
Implications and Reactions
Amid these meetings, Modi and Xi have emphasized the need for India and China, the world's two most populous countries, to be good friends and cooperate, not compete. This sentiment comes despite ongoing border disputes between the two nations.
Xi has criticized the bullying behavior
of other countries, while Putin has blamed the west for the war in Ukraine. Putin also promised to brief the SCO on his talks in Alaska with Trump, aimed at settling the Ukraine conflict, highlighting the role of China and India in these efforts.
Conclusion
The SCO summit, set to conclude on September 1, demonstrates a shift in global power dynamics and the emergence of an alternative model of relations centered around China. While the US continues to face criticism from the leaders gathered in Tianjin, it remains to be seen how the summit's outcomes will shape the international political landscape. Amid this, Modi's visit to China, and the discussions held during the summit, could influence India's foreign policy direction and its relations with both the US and neighboring countries.