The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, held in Tianjin, China on August 31–September 1, 2025, became a defining moment for Asian diplomacy. Leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Xi Jinping, and President Vladimir Putin gathered to chart a path for regional stability at a time of shifting global power.
But what truly caught international attention was the bilateral meeting between Modi and Xi, their first face-to-face encounter in seven years. For two nations long defined by rivalry, the optics and tone of this meeting signaled a cautious move toward partnership.
Modi–Xi Meeting: A Thaw After Years of Tension
During their talks, both sides committed to restoring peace and stability along their contested border. They agreed to resume direct flights and reopen the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, two symbolic yet practical confidence-building measures.
Xi Jinping stressed that India and China should see each other as “partners, not rivals”, framing both countries as opportunities for mutual growth. Modi, in turn, emphasized that the relationship should not be defined through the lens of any “third country,” a clear reference to Western pressures, especially from the United States.
The message was simple: both leaders recognize the need to keep channels of communication open, even if deep mistrust remains.
The SCO Stage: A Larger Geopolitical Theater
The Tianjin summit was not just about bilateral diplomacy. Xi declared that the SCO now carries “greater responsibilities” in safeguarding peace and prosperity across Eurasia. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was given a red-carpet welcome, underscoring the strong alignment between Moscow and Beijing.
The summit also projected the SCO as the collective voice of the Global South, presenting an alternative to U.S.-led alliances. For many observers, it signaled a revival of the old Russia–India–China (RIC) troika, albeit in a new global context.
Putin’s Role: The Bridge Between Delhi and Beijing
Putin has long positioned Russia as a balancing power between India and China. Moscow’s historic defense and energy ties with New Delhi remain strong, while its post-Ukraine isolation has pushed it closer to Beijing.
By hosting forums like BRICS, RIC dialogues, and facilitating India’s membership in the SCO, Putin has sought to prevent India and China from sliding into open confrontation. His strategy is clear: keep both Asian giants within Russia’s orbit, even if their bilateral relations remain uneasy.
At Tianjin, Putin’s presence symbolized this balancing act. His engagement with both Modi and Xi was less about immediate agreements and more about ensuring that neither side drifts completely into the Western camp.
Trump’s Indirect Impact: Pressure That Pushed Dialogue
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, though out of office, still casts a long shadow over India–China dynamics. His trade war with China reshaped global supply chains, but he also targeted India—removing trade concessions, imposing up to 50% tariffs on Indian exports, and tightening H-1B visas.
Moreover, Trump’s transactional approach to geopolitics created uncertainty in New Delhi. India realized that it could not rely solely on Washington as a counterweight to Beijing. His outreach to Pakistan during the Afghanistan withdrawal also raised alarms in Delhi.
Ironically, these pressures nudged India toward keeping communication lines with China open, rather than putting all its strategic weight behind the United States.
From Rivalry to Managed Cooperation
India and China remain competitors, locked in disputes over borders, influence, and regional security. Yet, the Tianjin summit marked a subtle shift. Both sides agreed, at least symbolically, to step back from the rhetoric of hostility and test the waters of pragmatic cooperation.
This shift has been made possible by two external factors:
Putin’s steady efforts to create platforms where India and China must engage, reducing the risk of open conflict.
Trump’s unpredictable policies, which reminded India of the risks of over-reliance on the U.S. and encouraged a more balanced foreign policy.
The 2025 SCO Summit in Tianjin showed that even bitter rivals like India and China can be nudged toward dialogue when global pressures align. Modi and Xi’s meeting may not resolve the deep-rooted disputes between their nations, but it created space for a more constructive approach.
In this evolving geopolitical landscape, Putin acts as the bridge, ensuring India and China remain within a shared framework, while Trump’s legacy of pressure inadvertently pushed New Delhi to reconsider the value of engaging Beijing directly.
For now, rivalry still defines the India–China relationship. But in Tianjin, a cautious step was taken toward partnership—proof that global leadership, even when driven by competing interests, can reshape the contours of regional diplomacy.
