The world will be watching as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin join China’s Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin today.
The three powerful leaders converge on a single stage amid the shaking world order forced by Donald Trump’s erratic foreign policy and trade war waged against India and China, and fears of stricter sanctions on Russia.
The trio, being seen on one platform at this juncture of the global order which is seeing a tectonic shift, will be a clear message to the US President, who has tried to pressure each of the three countries with his tactics of tariffs.
PM Modi landed in China after seven years. The last time he was in the country was in 2018.
PM Modi held a bilateral meeting with Jinping on the sidelines of the Summit on Sunday, while he will hold a meeting with Putin tomorrow.
The Trump administration soured its relations with New Delhi by imposing 50% tariffs on imports from India and increasing Washington’s proximity with Islamabad.
The White House officials have launched a series of attacks on India over its decision to continue buying Russian oil, accusing New Delhi of fueling Moscow’s “war machine in Ukraine". Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro went on to claim that Ukraine was “Modi’s war".
India has, however, made it clear that its national interest is paramount and will not budge to any pressure. India is the second-largest buyer of Russian oil after China. Washington has imposed tariffs on New Delhi for this, however, no such levies were made on Beijing for the same.
The two neighbours have looked to reset ties in recent months. PM Modi’s visit to China is being seen as part of the efforts to improve relations, as the US’ pressure mounts on both nations on trade. India and China have been vocal about a multipolar world, which goes against the American concept of its dominance across the globe. The Prime Minister’s meetings with Jinping and Putin hold all the way more significance in this context, as the three countries set eyes on showing unity against what Beijing calls the US “bully".
Source: News18
