Modi uses SCO summit to signal India’s strategic independence

Prime Minister balances ties with Russia and China while sending a subtle message to Trump

September 1, 2025

Prime Minister Modi delivered three messages aimed at Trump, Pakistan, and China.

Modi also shared warm exchanges with both Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The diplomatic theatre was designed to remind the US that India is not reliant on its approval.

Modi’s gestures signalled that India has multiple options to balance global partnerships.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin became more than a routine multilateral gathering. For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was an opportunity to underline India’s strategic autonomy, balance tactical partnerships, and reinforce that the country follows its own rules on the global stage.

In the course of a single summit, Modi managed to deliver three distinct signals – to US President Donald Trump, to Pakistan, and to China – that India would not be coerced, cornered, or compromised.

The defining image of the day came when Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin travelled together in the same car for their bilateral meeting. Earlier, the Prime Minister had exchanged warm handshakes and embraces with both Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines. These gestures of warmth, rare in the high-stakes setting of global diplomacy, were no coincidence but carefully orchestrated symbolism.

The optics carried weight. For Trump, whose approach to allies has often been transactional and confrontational, the spectacle served as a pointed reminder. Modi’s easy body language with Putin and Xi signalled that India has options beyond Washington, and that it is not reliant on American approval. The message was clear: if pushed too hard, India could look to strengthen ties with other global centres of power.

Source: Economic Times

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