Modi joins hands with Xi and Putin in message to Trump
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Russian President Vladimir Putin (left), Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (center) speak at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tianjin, China. Photo: Sergey Bobylev/Kremlin Press via Getty
Facing tariffs and insults from President Trump, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a far friendlier interaction on Monday with his Russian and Chinese counterparts during his first visit to China in seven years.
The big picture: Successive U.S. presidents have aggressively courted India as a counterweight to China. Trump is actively trying to drive a wedge between India and Russia while seeking to gradually peel Russia away from China. So the image of all three leaders literally holding hands is, at the very least, a symbolic blow.
Driving the news: Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin entered the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit hand-in-hand and immediately formed a tight circle with Chinese President Xi Jinping — warm smiles on display for the press.
- Xi gave a speech denouncing "Cold War mentalities" and "bullying," without mentioning Trump's name.
The latest: He later announced a "Global Governance Initiative," calling on nations to work in concert for a more "just and equitable" system that dismantles walls, rather than "erect them" and which seeks "integration, not decoupling."
- Trump's tariffs have impacted many of the nations that leaders at the summit represent, and the group signed a declaration afterward that read like a thinly veiled swipe at the U.S. leader.
- The leaders state in the Tianjin Declaration they opposed "unilateral coercive measures" — including those of economic nature, that "undermine international law" and go against the norms of the World Trade Organization and the UN Charter.
- Modi described the summit as an "opportunity" for India and praised its focus on "connectivity" and trade between member states. "India has always believed that strong connectivity not only boosts trade but also opens doors to growth and trust," Modi said.
Zoom in: Modi and Putin shared a limo ride and spoke one-on-one for nearly an hour. Modi later told Putin, "1.4 billion Indians are waiting with excitement" to welcome him later this year.
- Xi and Modi also met on Sunday, with readouts from both of the neighboring giants stressing they are "partners," not "rivals."
Between the lines: From Modi's perspective, the pageantry seems a clear attempt to demonstrate that India is a powerful player with influential partners.
- Trump's 50% tariffs, doubled last week over India's continued purchases of Russian oil, have sparked outrage in the country. So have insulting comments from Trump and some on his team.
- Trump doubled down on Monday, calling U.S. trade with India "a totally one sided disaster."
- Modi has signaled India won't stop buying oil from Russia, and has moved to patch up ties with Xi, potentially undercutting more than a decade of U.S. efforts to team up with India in its competition with China.
Reality check: While Sino-Indian relations seem to have thawed, they're hardly warm. Deadly 2020 border clashes still loom large, along with disputes over technology and regional influence.
- Some analysts also think the "relationship without limits" between China and Russia will be undermined over time by their growing power imbalance, anxiety over their shared border, and differences on regional issues like North Korea.
The bottom line: For now at least, the Trump administration's desire to put distance between the three powers is not bearing fruit.
More from Axios:
- Modi issues buy India-made call as Trump's 50% tariffs take effect
- Modi vows to "deepen partnership" with Putin after Trump's tariffs
- India's PM fueling Putin's "war machine" by buying Russian oil, Navarro says
Editor's note: This article has been updated with details from Xi's speech on the Global Governance Initiative.
