Putin and Modi Join Xi Jinping’s Strategic Gathering in China
Light House Denver – President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Tianjin to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit. The meeting was held at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who gathered several world leaders for the event. The summit takes place just days before a massive military parade in Beijing commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The SCO consists of China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus. In addition, 16 other countries participate as observers or dialogue partners. The forum is increasingly seen as China’s effort to strengthen its influence across Eurasia.
Putin arrived with a delegation of senior politicians and Russian business representatives. Xi Jinping had already held bilateral talks with several leaders, including Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Putin.
Modi, making his first visit to China since 2018, also met with Xi shortly after his arrival. He emphasized India’s commitment to building relations based on mutual trust. “The interests of 2.8 billion people in our two nations depend on our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the well-being of all humanity,” Modi said.
The talks were held at Tianjin Guest House, an intimate venue surrounded by lush greenery and heavy security presence. Much of Tianjin was closed to traffic, while SCO banners lined the streets, carrying slogans such as “mutual benefit” and “equality” in both Mandarin and Russian.
China and Russia often portray the SCO as an alternative to the NATO military alliance. This year’s summit is the first since Donald Trump returned to the White House, giving the forum added global attention.
More than 20 world leaders attended, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Putin is expected to use the forum to hold discussions with Erdogan and Pezeshkian on the war in Ukraine and Tehran’s nuclear program.
The summit also comes amid rising trade tensions. India recently faced sharp tariff hikes from the United States as punishment for its continued purchase of Russian oil. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, many of the leaders will travel to Beijing to attend the military parade, which is also rumored to be joined by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
