SCO Summit 2025: Modi, Shehbaz Maintain Distance in China

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, held in Tianjin, China, was more than just a diplomatic occasion. It became an unnoticed but noteworthy confrontation between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. It drew attention around the world to the fraught relationship between two nuclear-capable neighbours.

A Cold Encounter Captured on Camera

The summit banquet sent a photo of Modi and Sharif turned away from each other that quickly. It became trending news today everywhere. The picture posted from PM Modi’s official account on X had captured the absence of any interaction between the two. Sharma’s tweet noted he has a “productive exchange of ideas” with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan whilst Sharif stood in the background as an unremarkable ghostly figure.

This intentional maintained distance carried itself into a customary family photo with members of the SCO, with both leaders at opposite corners of the grouper – a reminder of the existing diplo-frost in today’s encounter.

The Shadow of Operation Sindoor

The naturally tenuous relationship between India and Pakistan cannot be separated from surrounding circumstances of Operation Sindoor. Begun on May 7, it was India’s transnational offensive authority after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.

The action sent a strong message to Islamabad and only increased tensions between the two countries.

The relationship has been tense for months, with almost no indications it would be repaired soon. The climate at the SCO summit showed no contracting of the recent diplomatic freeze.

Modi–Xi Meeting: A Contrasting Moment

Much was made of the unusual publicly declared meeting for PM Modi and President Xi Jinping of China. The emphasis of their conversation was reducing border tensions and addressing an approximately USD 100 billion trade deficit.

While Modi stated India counseled nations to strengthen relationships, the unsolved issue from the Galwan Valley conflict in 2020 loomed large.
It looked to both parties being careful, cooperating strategically but remaining inherently distrustful.

Turbulence in Global Trade and India’s Predicament

The SCO summit took place during the ongoing turmoil of an international trade crisis. Markets have been rattled by the new tariffs and protectionist sentiment following incumbent US President Donald Trump’s tenure. With a universal tariff of 10 per cent and stronger duties on products from China, India’s exports have been affected.

The difficulty is magnified for India. Indian products, such as textile, gems, jewelry, carpets, shrimp, and others have been fully taxed at 50% tariffs. Approximately USD 80 billion in exports affected: almost two-thirds of India’s trade with the US and the full force of small exporters who are under strain.

So, having said that, Indian companies are quickly exploring other markets as alternatives in Europe, Africa, Latin America, the Gulf. All of this is happening as the Indian government pledges to fight against external economic drivers and devise new ways to enhance exports.

Symbolism Like Peak

Often, diplomatic traffic goes beyond formal declarations and government statements. The positioning of leaders and their interactions—or non-interaction—say a lot about the state of international relationships.

The quiet stalemate of Modi and Sharif symbolises South Asia’s long-standing conflicts. In India, Operation Sindoor and security issues dominate its regional narrative. For Pakistan, the difficulties of engagement with India are compounded by intractable internal issues and its dubious international standing.

Also, the Tianjin SCO Summit, in many ways, highlighted many dimensions of international diplomacy—India’s difficult relationship with Pakistan, careful attempts to bolster its relationship with China, and, the ramifications of a trade disruption in the context of US trade policy.

While formal agendas referenced cooperation in energy, healthcare, and security, it was the absence of interaction and space between Modi and Sharif that drew interest. This quiet stalemate has become one of the most discussed features of international politics, and serves as one of the clearest markers of current India–Pakistan relations.

So, in a world where pictures often show more than words do, the images from Tianjin have found their place in trending news today, symbolizing the fragility and complexity of South Asian diplomacy.