BEIJING – Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, scheduled for August 31 to September 1. The gathering will bring together more than 20 global leaders and is being framed as a significant display of unity among major powers of the Global South.
The event holds strong symbolic value, as it will mark Modi’s first visit to China in over seven years, following years of strained relations between Beijing and New Delhi after the 2020 border clashes. Analysts view his participation as an important gesture, suggesting a cautious easing of tensions while underscoring the growing influence of multilateral platforms outside Western frameworks.
For Russia, the summit offers President Putin a chance to strengthen ties with China and maintain visibility on the global stage amid ongoing tensions with the West. Xi’s hosting of both leaders highlights Beijing’s ambition to position itself as a central mediator and power broker within Asia and beyond.
While the SCO has often been critiqued for lacking concrete strategic outcomes, this year’s summit is expected to focus heavily on security cooperation, trade integration, and regional stability. The optics of Putin, Modi, and Xi sharing the stage are likely to resonate worldwide as a direct counterpoint to Western alliances, presenting the forum as a rising pillar of a multipolar world order.
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