September 1, 2025

The stage was set for a colorful show of friendship and diplomacy at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on September 1, 2025, in Tianjin, China. Picture this: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin greeting each other with warm smiles and even hugs! These moments were captured as the leaders exchanged cheerful handshakes and walked together toward Chinese President Xi Jinping for the group photo of SCO members. Chinese President Xi Jinping took the spotlight while addressing the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO. He called for "mutual benefit and win-win results," emphasizing the need to better align development strategies and push forward the Belt and Road Initiative with high-quality efforts. According to state media Xinhua, Xi said, "SCO member states need to enhance mutual understanding and friendship through people-to-people exchanges," adding that the group should build a "garden of civilizations" where all cultures can thrive in harmony. To sweeten the deal, Xi pledged a whopping 2 billion yuan (about 281 million US dollars) in grants to SCO nations within this year. "We need to uphold fairness and justice," he stressed, urging members to use their big markets and economic strengths to boost trade and investment. PM Modi, not just a silent spectator, joined the chatter and camaraderie. Before the plenary session started, he shared photos on X (formerly Twitter) showing his warm exchanges with both leaders. His light and friendly interaction with Putin was especially noticeable as the two leaders exchanged joyful embraces and shared a few light-hearted words before taking the stage. The Indian Prime Minister is set to address the plenary session, where he will explain India's plans to strengthen regional cooperation under the SCO umbrella. Following this, a highly anticipated bilateral meeting with President Putin is on the cards. "Prime Minister will be addressing the plenary session of the Summit, where he will outline India's approach to fostering regional cooperation under the SCO umbrella. After this engagement, he is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, following which he will depart for India," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced. This summit follows a recent positive meeting between Modi and Xi, who met on the sidelines and celebrated steady progress in India-China ties since their last meeting at the BRICS Summit in Kazan in October 2024. With smiles, handshakes, and big promises floating in the air, this SCO summit in Tianjin is sparking hopes of stronger bonds, more trade, and a future of shared prosperity among member nations.

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Tags: Sco summit 2025, Narendra modi, Vladimir putin, Xi jinping, India-russia relations, China-india relations,