Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to host Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and other leaders at the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit beginning Sunday in Tianjin. This summit is poised to be a show of strength against the tariff war initiated by the United States against China and India, though sources indicate that no trilateral meeting will take place. There will be no separate meeting between Modi, Putin, and Jinping.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in China on Saturday afternoon, receiving a grand welcome at the airport. This marks Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to China since 2018, seen as another step towards mending relations strained after the 2020 clashes in the Galwan Valley between India and China.
SCO Summit Amidst Trump’s Tariff Disputes
The summit of the SCO, a regional security group, is occurring at a time when various nations are grappling with US President Donald Trump’s trade wars and overt tariff threats, including New Delhi, which has been subjected to a 50% tariff. Russia is dealing with sanctions, while China faces the threat of a 200% tariff, as Trump warned that the US would impose a 200% tariff on Chinese products if Beijing restricts the export of rare-earth magnets.
Against this backdrop, the SCO has emerged as a cornerstone of the global power balance campaign of Jinping, Putin, and India, all of whom have favored a multipolar world, which the United States has consistently opposed.
Chinese officials have described the upcoming summit as the largest SCO summit to date. Jinping aims to present China as a stable and powerful alternative at a time when the current superpower—the United States—is shaking up alliances across the globe.
Modi, Putin, and Jinping to Share a Stage
The summit also provides an opportunity for Putin to share a stage with China and India, two of his largest customers for Russian oil. Trump has imposed a 25% additional tariff on India for purchasing Russian energy and defense products, while China has not been subjected to any such charges. Prime Minister Modi has resisted pressure from the Trump administration to stop buying Russian oil, which the US claims has fueled Putin’s “war machine in Ukraine.”
Before arriving in China, Putin praised his relationship with Beijing, calling it a “stabilizing force” for the world. He told the Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua that Russia and China are “united in our vision of building a just, multipolar world order.”
Who Will Attend the SCO Summit 2025?
The SCO, comprising China, Russia, India, Iran, Pakistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, controls a large portion of the world’s energy resources and represents approximately 40% of the global population.
Among those participating in the summit, some countries have rivalries and significant disagreements in their political systems, such as India and Pakistan. The prime ministers of both countries will attend the event – their first meeting since the Pulwama terrorist attack and India’s Operation Vajra.
Prime Minister Modi did not attend the summit in Kazakhstan last year; however, he will participate in the Tianjin summit, which is taking place at a time when New Delhi-Washington relations have soured following Trump’s anti-India moves, including the 50% tariff and growing proximity to Pakistan.
Chinese officials said that delegations from 16 partner and observer countries of the SCO are expected to attend the summit – including Cambodia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and NATO member Turkey. Beijing has also invited some Southeast Asian leaders, while United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is also likely to attend.
While Prime Minister Modi, Putin, and Jinping will be on stage for the summit, the United States will be absent; however, analysts believe that Trump’s actions are likely to remain a topic of discussion.