PM Modi, Putin Travel Together At SCO Summit 2025 Ahead Of Bilateral Talks

The drive to their bilateral meeting venue, though brief, carried strong symbolism as it came at a time when New Delhi faces mounting tariff pressure from Washington over its oil imports from Moscow.

The post was accompanied by an image of the two leaders seated together, underlining their continued engagement despite external pressures.

Source : ANI

In a rare diplomatic moment, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin were seen travelling together in the same car on Monday after the proceedings at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China.

The drive to their bilateral meeting venue, though brief, carried strong symbolism as it came at a time when New Delhi faces mounting tariff pressure from Washington over its oil imports from Moscow.

The optics of the ride underscored the growing warmth between India and Russia, even as the United States raised tariffs to penalise New Delhi for continuing its energy trade with Moscow. US President Donald Trump recently announced a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, sparking concerns about potential disruptions to India's $27 billion worth of non-exempt exports to America.

PM Modi Shares Insight on Social Media

Prime Minister Modi shared the moment with his Russian counterpart on X (formerly Twitter), writing: "After the proceedings at the SCO Summit venue, President Putin and I travelled together to the venue of our bilateral meeting. Conversations with him are always insightful." The post was accompanied by an image of the two leaders seated together, underlining their continued engagement despite external pressures.

"After the proceedings at the SCO Summit venue, President Putin and I travelled together to the venue of our bilateral meeting. Conversations with him are always insightful," tweets Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the two leaders travel in the same car to the destination of their… pic.twitter.com/OxYTcgxB5F

— ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2025

Discussions on Global Issues

The bilateral meeting was held shortly after the SCO proceedings, during which both leaders touched upon key regional and global matters. One of the highlights of their conversation was the Ukraine conflict, with President Putin acknowledging India’s diplomatic role. "I appreciate China and India's efforts to resolve the crisis in Ukraine," the Russian leader said, pointing to the increasing importance of Asian powers in mediation efforts traditionally steered by the West.