Handshake, Hug, Pat On Back: How PM Modi's Gestures Did The Talking At SCO

A hug with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a handshake with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a pat on the back for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and not a glance at Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-- Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gestures at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit were as clear as his words in defining who's a friend and who's not.

In a very public display of bonhomie amid US President Donald Trump's tariff offensive, PM Modi and Putin carpooled as they headed to the venue of their bilateral meeting on Monday. Sources said the Russian leader waited for about 10 minutes for PM Modi to join him on the ride from the SCO conference venue to the bilateral meeting held at the Ritz Carlton.

Both leaders, said sources, spent another 45 minutes in the car even after reaching their destination, conversing on various issues before the bilateral meeting that was over an hour long.

PM Modi was also seen in huddles and laughing with Putin and Xi Jinping. In a viral video, Pakistan PM Sharif watched from the sidelines as PM Modi and Putin walked past, deep in conversation. PM Modi's easy camaraderie with the two leaders stood out against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions amid US tariffs, putting a global spotlight on the high-profile gathering at the SCO Summit.

If the viral snub to the Pakistan PM was not a message enough, PM Modi, while addressing the SCO, urged nations to act in unison on terrorism, separatism, and extremism threatening global peace and prosperity. He raised the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in Shehbaz Sharif's presence and said the Pahalgam "attack was not just an assault on India's soul, but also a challenge to those who believe in humanity".

PM Modi also called on the SCO members to reject their "double standards" on terrorism after he shared a rare moment with Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan, greeting him with a handshake and a pat on the back. The cordial exchange was significant when contrasted with tensions between New Delhi and Ankara over Turkey's support for Pakistan in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.

Later, the SCO's Tianjin Declaration echoed PM Modi and "strongly condemned" the April 22 Pahalgam attack, extending "deepest sympathy and condolences" to the victims' families.