- Prime Minister Modi met Russian President Putin and Chinese Premier Xi at the SCO summit in Tianjin
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called US-India ties a defining relationship of the 21st century
- US President Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian exports over its purchase of Russian oil
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi exchanged hugs and handshakes with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese premier Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in China's Tianjin, a key member of US President Donald Trump's team has termed New Delhi-Washington DC ties a "defining relationship of the 21st century".
Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, has said the relationship between US and India continues to reach new heights. "This month, we're spotlighting the people, progress, and possibilities driving us forward. From innovation and entrepreneurship to defense and bilateral ties, it's the enduring friendship between our two peoples that fuels this journey," the US Embassy quoted Rubio as saying. The post on X came minutes before Prime Minister Modi's meeting with President Putin on sidelines of SCO.
The remarks are significant at a time when key Eurasian powers India, China and Russia are meeting at the SCO summit against the backdrop of Trump's tariff war against India. The US President has slapped 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports over its refusal to stop buying Russian oil. India has long maintained that its decision to buy oil from Russia, which faces heavy sanctions from the West over its war against Ukraine, is aimed at ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people. India has described the US tariffs as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable" and said it will take "all actions necessary to protect its national interests".
The SCO summit in Tianjin saw Prime Minister Modi, Russian President Putin and Chinese premier Xi exchanging smiles, hugs and handshakes.
Prime Minister Modi and Russian President Putin were seen walking hand in hand, indicating that US threats won't make India capitulate and ruin its long-time ties with Moscow. The two leaders then approached Chinese President Xi, and the trio is seen sharing a laugh. The animated chat triggered speculation about the subject they discussed. But their body language showed an ease that will keep the US guessing.
In a diplomatic win for India, member states of SCO condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and echoed Prime Minister Modi's message that "double standards in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable". Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was present at the summit and the declaration echoing Prime Minister Modi's words is being seen as a major diplomatic victory.
Significantly, the declaration also condemned the military strikes by Israel and the US against Iran in June. "Such aggressive actions against civilian targets, including nuclear energy infrastructure, which resulted in the death of civilians, are a gross violation of the principles and norms of international law and the UN Charter, and an infringement on the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran. They undermine regional and international security and have serious implications for global peace and stability," it said.
