The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much-discussed China visit are now behind us. Beyond the usual analysis of geopolitics and bilateral prospects, Chinese social media users seemed more fascinated by body language, optics, symbolic gestures, and inevitably, memes. Some commentary stressed the cordial tone of the visit, but much of it was light-hearted, with a surprising number of jokes aimed at US President Donald Trump.
If the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit was a diplomatic show, Modi was undoubtedly its leading actor, judging by the sheer amount of online attention he received. “A distant relative is not as good as a close neighbour,” remarked Liu Ying, a researcher at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University.
Much chatter centred on the red carpet rolled out for Modi. “The most heartwarming moment of Modi’s visit to China was his grand reception. As soon as he arrived, he was greeted with fanfare. The red carpet stretched long, the honour guard stood in perfect formation, and the dance performance was particularly lively,” read a commentary on Baidu.
Modi-Putin hand-holding, car ride
Chinese internet users closely followed every move by Modi, but the real viral moment came from optics: Modi holding hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Tianjin, and later sharing a ride in his Aurus Senat limousine. The images lit up platforms such as WeChat and Weibo, sparking hashtags such as #SCO_Summit_Modi_held_Putin’s_hand_and_entered_the_hall and #Modi_takes_Putin’s_car, each attracting millions of views.
“Not only did they enter the venue together, but the two were almost inseparable in the conference hall,” wrote one user. Many on Weibo wondered: “How would Trump feel watching this Modi-Putin bonhomie?”
Even Hu Xijin, former editor-in-chief of Global Times, weighed in. Trump might be irked by the public display of camaraderie, he said, further fuelling the meme fire.
Others tried to decode the symbolism. “Modi skipped his official car to ride with Putin in a Russian armoured Aurus sedan. This was not just a commute, it was a carefully staged diplomatic gesture, using proximity and optics to highlight India-Russia closeness,” a Weibo post explained.
Another user quipped: “This was a landmark moment in Russia-India relations, shedding new light on multilateral interactions at the SCO.”
Also read: China will be more central to India now. Though an anti-US unity is premature
Scrutiny of body language
Social media users did not stop at hand-holding jokes. Body language became another focus of online discussion. On Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, many videos highlighted how Modi was all smiles and appeared animated and cordial during his China visit. Several focused on his handholding with Putin, splicing in Trump video clips to suggest both an unbreakable bond between India and Russia, and Trump’s supposed irritation.
Other videos showed Modi walking confidently, with commentary framing him as “tough” and suggesting India had responded firmly to Trump’s tariffs. On Zhihu, the Chinese version of Quora, one post read: “As friendly as they were before, both Modi and Trump are angry with each other now.”
On a video platform called Bilibili, a popular post remarked: “Modi has stolen Trump’s spotlight. His Tianjin trip has earned him plenty of attention. If Trump had also come, he would probably have gained quite a following, his dance moves would surely attract fans.” There was even an AI-generated video casting Modi and Trump in a Chinese-style aristocratic drama, where Modi was shown taking on Trump and winning.
Not all commentary was flattering. “Modi’s enthusiastic response to Putin exposed his weaknesses. A small country is a small country; it is not about size but about composure. The US and the West must be pleased, India will eventually bend to them,” read a popular Weibo post. Yet, such critiques were few and far between. “Modi’s visit to China was the happiest he’s had in years,” said a widely shared counterpoint.
Also read: Modi is taking a layered approach to Beijing, say Chinese analysts
A rare positive spotlight
Much of the online commentary in China suggested that Modi overshadowed other leaders at the SCO summit and that India’s role was shifting. Unusually, many images depicted Modi in a positive light, showing him as standing up to the US, quickly mending ties with China, and reassuring Russia. Such positive portrayals of India have been rare in recent years.
The rationale is simple: The bigger adversary, for now, is the US. Chinese social media seems keen to amplify the India-US rift, celebrate the India-Russia camaraderie, and embrace the perception of stabilising India-China ties.
Sana Hashmi is a fellow at the Taiwan Asia Exchange Foundation. She tweets @sanahashmi1. Views are personal.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)