Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin made headlines during the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin with an unexpected yet important gesture. The two leaders took a journey in a Russian-made Aurus car from the summit location to the Ritz-Carlton hotel, where they held bilateral meetings. PM Modi shared the experience on X, describing his meetings with Putin as “always insightful.”
According to officials, Putin proposed travelling together and waited over 10 minutes for PM Modi before departing. The discussions began on the drive and lasted approximately 45 minutes in the car, even after they arrived at the hotel. A formal meeting lasted over an hour and focused on cooperation in energy, defence, and critical global concerns. Earlier, cameras filmed PM Modi and Putin greeting each other with a heartfelt embrace, which was widely shared on social media and later reposted by the Indian Prime Minister.
The talks carried added significance as global tensions rose and the United States imposed new tariffs of up to 50% on Indian exports in response to New Delhi’s ongoing import of Russian crude oil.
