Warning: You are advised to exercise caution when you assess India’s successes at Tianjin, China, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit because Indian television news channels threw all caution to the wind and hailed it as an unqualified, rip-roaring “Big win for Bharat” (CNN News 18).
The compliments and lofty claims came easily to the silken-tongued news anchors who were present in plenty at Tianjin to report on SCO. Or rather, to watch the “body language” and lip-read the words exchanged between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
It was a “shaktishaali” (powerful) meeting, wrote NDTV India. No, no, it was a “mahashakti mahamilan” (superpower union), added Aaj Tak.
Arre bhai, it was a “super summit…(with) the world glued to every move… a moment that redefines world power,” boasted the Republic TV anchor. India is becoming “a global superpower,” boomed TV9 anchor Nishant Chaturvedi.
There was PM Modi streaking across the screen, at supersonic speed — dressed as ‘Superman’ (India Today). He was headed towards a “historic strategic realignment…” (News X anchor), “a reset of the world order” (Times Now), “shift in momentum of geopolitics” (Rahul Shivshankar, CNN News 18).
We watched in open-mouth fascination as the live TV coverage from Tianjin played out like a film — ‘Tianjin Triad’ (Republic TV), starring Modi, Putin and Xi. Or was it ‘Trinity v/s Trump’? (Times Now)
Either way, US President Donald Trump and his trade advisor Peter Navarro didn’t stand a chance against the ‘power punch’ (TV9) of this ‘power league’ (India Today).
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TV news churned out images like Insta Reels
As TV news channels saw it, Trump was the opponent, and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif enemy No.1. Both were defeated by the ‘Tango in Tianjin’ (Times Now). Sharif was dismissed as a “waiter” by a Times Now editor and TV9’s anchor agreed: Sharif was waiting on the sidelines to take orders — “Sir I am at your service.”, the anchor said.
As for Trump, well, ‘Tianjin Troika rattles Team Trump,’ read the NDTV 24×7 headline. “Washington watches with worry,” said Times Now.
Never did the world’s most powerful person think he would be slighted by Indian TV news anchors. “We don’t want anyone’s validation,” declared India Today’s man in Tianjin, Gaurav Sawant, puffing out his chest. It was China’s “Trump card,” wrote Aaj Tak. “Donald Trump left on one side?” asked India TV. “No appetite for Trump’s tariffs,” said NDTV 24×7.
The unkindest cut came from TV9’s Chaturvedi: “Trump is known to pick the wrong partners — in personal life and (public)…” he sneered.
Ouch. Unnecessary, right?
The “optics” of the meeting between Modi, Xi and Putin rolled out on TV news like Instagram reels, one after another. On Sunday, when Modi met Xi, it was all about ‘bilateral bonhomie’ (Times Now) between “the elephant and the dragon”. ‘Ni Hao Modi’ was India Today’s greeting as the PM strode purposefully toward the Chinese President and shook his hand – er, no hug.
At this stage, anchors and their guests, largely retired diplomats, took a “cautious” approach to the meeting. “Not a substantive meeting,” is how one former ambassador put it. However, a meeting of over an hour between the two charged up TV reporters on the ground—now they were talking big with statements such as “…new chapter in India- China ties…” (India Today), “Modi-Xi reset the world… new axis,” claimed Times Now.
NDTV 24×4 analysed the leaders’ gestures: “Warm greetings, warm handshake, warm smiles,” said its anchor, warmly.
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Smiling leaders, beaming anchors
Monday was the defining day at Tianjin with the SCO summit where Modi spoke. Thereafter he held bilateral talks with Putin. As the SCO final document became public, TV reporters were ecstatic: “Big diplomatic win for India,” said an elated Republic TV anchor. “Significant win…’Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ included.”
“What we wrote and gave is in document– PM’s victory,” exulted a guest on India TV.
Attention shifted quickly to Modi’s separate meeting with Putin. Now videos and still photos of Modi and Putin, Xi, Putin and Modi ran back-to-back from hour to hour while TV anchors and studio experts conducted body scans to describe the vibes.
As Putin and Modi met, one guest on Times Now asserted that “both sides [are] looking good” as they shook hands – and yes, hugged.
TV anchors noticed their grins and smiles. “They can’t stop smiling,” said NDTV 24×7 anchor. “The smiles say it all.”
The TV news wallahs were oohing-and-aahing as Modi and Putin walked down the red carpet — “hand-in-hand” (India Today) as they talked.
They walked past the Pakistani PM, who stood with his hands folded – their every movement was pointed out by arrows and interpreted as signs of a ‘Bromance’ (NDTV 24×7) – while Sharif cut a lonely figure — like a “butler,” said Srinjoy Chowdhury of Times Now.
Next up, Xi, Modi and Putin, the viral video of them talking and laughing — “that conveys it all,” said TV9 Bharatvarsh. Indeed.
Finally, Peter Navarro, Trump’s trade adviser, criticised India in an interview with Fox News – he wondered why PM Modi “…is getting into bed with Putin and Xi Jinping…”
We don’t know about getting into bed, but PM Modi certainly climbed into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s big, beautiful, black “beast” of a limousine. As a photo was released of the two leaders seated next to each other in the car, TV news went into fifth gear.
“A bullet proof car, a bullet proof relationship,” commented Rahul Shivshankar (CNN News 18).
“Quite amazing,” remarked NDTV’s Aditya Raj Kaul.
That pretty much sums up the television blockbuster from Tianjin, China.
The author tweets @shailajabajpai. Views are personal.
(Edited by Prashant)