At the Tianjin summit, India scored small but significant wins—resetting ties with China, reaffirming Russia links, and flagging terror. Yet SCO optics demand caution to preserve autonomy.
Global media interprets the display of unity at SCO Summit as a message to Washington—’its policies will result in other countries looking for alternatives to meet their interests’.
The Tianjin Declaration also strongly condemns the airstrikes on Iran by the US & Israel, while also condemning the events that led to the catastrophic situation in Gaza.
The PM also calls for greater connectivity among SCO member-states, while criticising any transportation projects that ignore a nation’s sovereignty & territorial integrity.
PM held a 45-odd minute bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping Sunday. It was the first bilateral meeting in China for the Indian leader since 2018.
For Chinese commentators, India’s careful steps reveal a country navigating the rise of China cautiously and pragmatically, with its own interests firmly in mind.
Indian Navy and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force are also exploring possible cooperation in area of ship maintenance in India, says Foreign Secy Misri.
The ‘great rivalry’ angle was also blown out of proportion, given that India now holds a handsome record of wins against Pakistan in T20 World Cup matches—8-1.
This is the game every nation is now learning to play. Some are finding new allies or seeing value among nations where they’d seen marginal interest. The starkest example is India & Europe.
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