India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi held what he called an “insightful” conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China. The two leaders spent 45 minutes inside Putin’s car, after which Modi posted a photo of their unusual meeting, praising the exchange.
Putin’s spokesman said the leaders continued their talks in the car because they felt “at home and comfortable there.” The meeting followed images of Modi and Putin walking hand-in-hand as Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted the summit, seen by many as a collective challenge to U.S. global dominance.
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The camaraderie comes amid growing tensions with Washington, as U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, citing Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil and weapons. Despite being a key U.S. partner in the Indo-Pacific, India has shown no signs of backing away from Moscow.
Putin, meanwhile, thanked China and India for supporting efforts to resolve the Ukraine crisis, even as he faces a Trump ultimatum to hold peace talks with Volodymyr Zelensky.
