NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin were seen sharing light moments and walking hand-in-hand during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on Monday, while Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif looked on as the leaders passed him during the group photo session.PM Modi, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping were also seen laughing together and engaging in a cordial conversation, underscoring the camaraderie among the three leaders at the summit.
“Interactions in Tianjin continue! Exchanging perspectives with President Putin and President Xi during the SCO Summit,” PM Modi posted on X, along with pictures from the event.Foreign secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pm Modi will address the plenary session of the 25th SCO Heads of State Council Summit later in the day. “Prime Minister will be addressing the plenary session of the Summit, where he will outline India’s approach to fostering regional cooperation under the SCO umbrella,” Misri said.Following the plenary, PM Modi is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Putin. On Sunday, PM Modi also met Xi, where both leaders agreed that India and China are “development partners, not rivals.” They emphasised the need for peace along the border, supported a mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary issue, and agreed to resume direct flights. Modi also invited Xi to attend the 2026 Brics Summit in India.In another engagement, PM Modi met Xi’s close aide Cai Qi in Tianjin. During the meeting, PM Modi shared his vision for India-China relations, while Cai reaffirmed Beijing’s intent to deepen exchanges. Misri said a banquet was replaced by a brief interaction due to scheduling constraints.The SCO currently has 10 member states, with India becoming a full member in 2017.
How Russia’s S-400 helped India in Operation Sindoor against Pakistan
Meanwhile, India’s S-400 “Sudarshan Chakra” missile defence systems played a crucial role during “Operation Sindoor” on the night of May 7 and 8. The Indian Air Force successfully intercepted Pakistani drones and missiles aimed at 15 Indian cities, according to ANI reports quoting domain experts.Officials confirmed that debris from Pakistani drones and missiles was recovered at multiple sites, providing evidence of the attack. India’s Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Air Defence systems thwarted the attempt, preventing damage to key assets.The S-400 “Sudarshan Chakra” — India’s name for the Russian-made Triumf system — can engage targets up to 400 km away and detect threats as far as 600 km. Equipped with phased-array radar, it can track over 100 targets simultaneously and neutralise threats ranging from drones to ballistic missiles.India signed a $5.43 billion deal with Russia in 2018 for five S-400 units, the first of which was deployed in Punjab in 2021. The advanced system is seen as a game-changer in South Asia, bolstering India’s multi-layered air defence and giving it a strategic edge against Pakistan and China.The government described the May 7 strikes as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” clarifying that no Pakistani military installations were targeted. However, after Pakistan escalated on Wednesday, Indian forces struck back, neutralising Pakistani air defence systems, including one in Lahore.
