Modi-Xi-Putin Handshake at SCO Summit: Is a New Geopolitical Equation Emerging?

Published: September 1, 2026 | Category: India, China, Russia, SCO

A highly watched diplomatic moment unfolded in Bishkek on September 1 as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin were seen together during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

The three leaders shared a brief handshake and exchanged words before the official family photograph. Although the moment was largely symbolic, it attracted significant international attention because India, China and Russia are three major powers with very different relationships with the United States and with each other.

The meeting should not automatically be interpreted as the creation of a new alliance. Instead, it highlights the increasingly complex diplomatic environment in which major countries are attempting to maintain strategic relationships with multiple sides simultaneously.

Why the Modi-Xi-Putin Moment Matters

India has maintained a long-standing strategic relationship with Russia while simultaneously expanding cooperation with the United States, Japan, Australia and other Indo-Pacific partners. At the same time, New Delhi has been attempting to stabilize its relationship with Beijing after years of serious tensions along the India-China border.

Russia, meanwhile, remains heavily dependent on economic and diplomatic relationships outside the Western bloc because of continuing pressure from the United States and Europe.

China is also attempting to strengthen its international position as competition with Washington expands across trade, technology, energy and strategic supply chains.

Against this background, the image of Modi, Xi and Putin together carries considerable geopolitical symbolism.

India's Strategic Balancing Act

India is unlikely to abandon its relationship with the United States simply because of greater engagement with China and Russia.

New Delhi's strategy is better described as multi-alignment. India wants to cooperate with different powers according to the issue involved rather than permanently joining one geopolitical camp.

India cooperates with the United States and its partners on Indo-Pacific security, advanced technology and strategic supply chains. At the same time, India maintains important defence, energy and diplomatic relationships with Russia.

Engagement with China is another part of this strategy. Dialogue with Beijing can reduce the risk of uncontrolled escalation while allowing India to protect its own strategic interests.

What Does China Want?

For Beijing, improved communication with New Delhi can have several advantages.

First, better India-China relations could reduce tensions along their disputed border. Second, cooperation within organisations such as the SCO can demonstrate that China remains an important centre of influence in Eurasia.

However, this does not mean that India's strategic competition with China has disappeared. The two countries continue to have differences over border issues, trade, regional influence and India's relationships with other Indo-Pacific powers.

Russia's Position

Russia has strong strategic reasons to maintain close relations with both India and China.

Moscow's relationship with Beijing has become increasingly important, while India remains a major economic and defence partner.

Russia therefore benefits from a diplomatic environment in which India and China maintain dialogue rather than allowing their relationship to deteriorate into permanent confrontation.

Does This Mean a New Anti-US Alliance?

Not necessarily.

It would be an oversimplification to describe the Modi-Xi-Putin interaction as the beginning of a formal anti-American alliance.

India continues to have deep economic, technological and strategic engagement with Washington. China and Russia also have their own separate relationships with other countries.

The more important development is the emergence of a world where countries increasingly refuse to be permanently locked into a single geopolitical bloc.

The Bigger Geopolitical Picture

The SCO summit demonstrates the growing importance of Eurasia in global politics. China, Russia, India and other regional powers are seeking greater cooperation in areas including trade, energy, transportation, security and technology.

At the same time, Western powers continue to maintain significant influence over global finance, advanced technology and international institutions.

The result is not necessarily a simple "West versus East" confrontation. Instead, the world is becoming increasingly fragmented and competitive, with countries forming issue-based partnerships.

Conclusion

The Modi-Xi-Putin handshake at the SCO summit is important because it represents the changing diplomatic landscape rather than because it creates a new military alliance.

India's ability to maintain relationships with Russia, China, the United States and other major powers will remain one of the most important features of Asian geopolitics.

The key question going forward is whether greater India-China dialogue can produce lasting stability, or whether strategic competition will eventually return to the centre of the relationship.

Key takeaway: The SCO moment shows that global geopolitics is increasingly defined by strategic flexibility, multi-alignment and competition for influence across Eurasia.