New chapter in global diplomacy Putin, Modi and Xi Send Message to ‘Trumped-up’ U.S. – By K K S Perera
Source : dailymirror
From Washington, President Donald Trump erupted, calling the U.S.–India relationship “a totally one-sided disaster!” He scolded New Delhi for buying “most of its oil and military products from Russia” and “very little from the U.S.” Though India had offered to cut tariffs on American goods to zero, Trump warned, “It’s getting late.” His frustration underscored America’s slipping influence
A private car ride with Vladimir Putin may not be the grand moment President Donald Trump imagined. Putin showed he had no shortage of companions, joining hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the backseat of diplomacy. The three strongmen staged a spectacle that looked less like routine diplomacy and more like a performance meant to rattle Washington. An anxious Trump plans to rebrand the 80 year-old Pentagon as the Department of War — a controversial move that could cost tens of millions of dollars.
For India, long courted by the West as a counterbalance to China, Trump’s sudden tariffs felt like a slap. Moscow brushed off Washington’s calls for peace in Ukraine. Beijing continues squaring off with the United States on trade wars, Taiwan, and global influence. Together, the trio seemed eager to send a message: the world’s balance of power is shifting.
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The setting was Tianjin, a bustling port city in northern China, where leaders met at a major regional summit. More than twenty heads of state gathered for the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO), but all eyes were on this trio. Their chemistry and united front turned the gathering into more than just another diplomatic event. Since its founding, the SCO has grown into the largest regional security bloc outside Western influence, but this summit marked its boldest moment. In Tianjin, the leaders seemed to tell the United States that their friendship was not just symbolic—it was strategic, and perhaps the beginning of a new world order.
Jinping and Putin were reportedly overheard discussing how organ transplant advances could potentially extend human lifespans to 150 years.
Against global tensions, the warm SCO summit interactions sent a clear solidarity message amid mounting U.S. pressure. Weeks after Trump and Putin’s protocol-breaking joint ride during their Alaska summit, Modi joined Putin in the Russian leader’s armored vehicle. This symbolic defiance came days after the U.S. doubled Indian tariffs to 50% for buying Russian oil.
“Conversations with him are always insightful,” Modi posted on X.
While the three leaders maintained established positions during the Tianjin summit, the warmth and timing of their embrace carried unmistakable significance.
The Modi-Putin exchange was particularly striking. “I always feel that meeting you has been a memorable experience,” Modi told Putin during bilateral talks. Putin reciprocated, calling Modi his “dear friend” and emphasising Russia and India’s “friendly and trusting” relationship. Putin acknowledged that “understandings” from his Trump meeting could provide a foundation for resolving Ukraine. However, he offered little indication of policy shifts, delivering his standard criticism of the West’s “constant attempts to drag Ukraine into NATO” as the war’s root cause.
At a military parade in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, China unveiled its Dongfeng-5 missile—a liquid-fueled intercontinental weapon capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Deployed from northern silos, it has the range to hit targets across the continental United States.
From Washington, President Donald Trump erupted, calling the U.S.–India relationship “a totally one-sided disaster!” He scolded New Delhi for buying “most of its oil and military products from Russia” and “very little from the U.S.” Though India had offered to cut tariffs on American goods to zero, Trump warned, “It’s getting late.” His frustration underscored America’s slipping influence.
Whether the hugs and handshakes in Tianjin were spontaneous or staged, the message was clear: the closeness Trump craved with Putin was now shared with others. Tariffs and harsh words had driven India to seek ties with Russia and, cautiously, with China. Despite rivalries, China sits on India’s border and remains its biggest trading partner, leaving New Delhi little choice but to balance competition with cooperation. Xi Jinping seized the stage, blasting “bullying behavior,” a jab at Washington. He renewed his ambition to challenge the U.S.-led order, urging resistance to “hegemonism and power politics” while promoting a vague Global Governance Initiative.
The summit’s most memorable moment came not in speeches but in visuals: Xi, Modi, and Putin walking shoulder-to-shoulder, then sharing a 45-minute limousine ride. Smiles, handshakes, and camaraderie projected unity more powerfully than words. Analysts quickly labeled it a direct signal to the West.
Putin praised the SCO as genuine multilateralism, highlighting cooperation free of Western dominance. Modi remained cautious, meeting both Xi and Putin but stressing India’s development agenda and strategic independence. He backed “new multilateralism,” yet resisted full alignment with either power. The Tianjin summit will be remembered less for policies than for imagery—three leaders walking together, hinting at a shifting order as Washington looked on uneasily.
Moreover, competing national agendas and divergent strategic priorities persistently constrain the SCO’s capacity to evolve from ceremonial diplomatic theater into substantive, sustained multilateral cooperation. These institutional limitations reflect deeper structural challenges that prevent the organisation from achieving its transformative potential.
Despite numerous obstacles and systemic impediments, the SCO has demonstrated that while the United States continues to wield considerable economic leverage, military superiority, and technological dominance, its hegemonic position faces increasingly serious challenges from emerging powers. This fundamental recalibration of global power structures has catalysed the emergence of novel security designs, precipitated significant trade realignments, and intensified technological competition across multiple domains. Consequently, this comprehensive realignment of global and regional power dynamics is not simply transforming South Asia’s external strategic environment, but is simultaneously compelling nations throughout the region to fundamentally reassess their diplomatic priorities, recalibrate their strategic partnerships, and chart new pathways toward sustainable peace and shared prosperity. The prevailing “America First” doctrine has paradoxically driven India toward closer engagement with China. New Delhi increasingly views Beijing as a reliable strategic counterweight against Washington’s perceived hegemonic ambitions and interventionist policies in the region.
The evolving relationship between China and India will likely navigate within a framework of “armed coexistence”—a fragile balance marked by efforts to expand economic and defense ties while fiercely guarding national security and sovereignty.
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It would be wrong, however, to blame US for all current tensions. For decades, American leaders from both parties helped bring China and India back into the global system after the Cold War. The Bush administration gave India special nuclear deals despite India not signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.Clinton administration pushed for China’s entry into the World Trade Organisation, while in both cases, th US saw—or thought they saw—important long-term partners. This hope came during a rare time when both Republicans and Democrats agreed on working with Beijing and New Delhi, a unity that no longer exists in American politics. Today, U.S. policy is driven by election concerns and populist appeals, often heard in Trump-style speeches.
The SCO summit in Tianjin marked a pivotal moment in global geopolitics, [We should have participated in it] showcasing an emerging multipolar world where traditional Western dominance faces serious challenges. The warm embrace between Xi, Putin, and Modi signals more than diplomatic courtesy—it represents a strategic realignment that could reshape international relations for decades. As these three powers consolidate their partnership, the world watches a new chapter unfold in global diplomacy.
kksperera1@gmail.com
