September 6, 2025

What a thrilling week it has been on the global political stage! Chinese President Xi Jinping has been all smiles as he met and mingled with some of America's biggest rivals, shaking up the usual diplomatic dance. The big event? The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, followed by a dazzling military parade. And guess who stole the show? Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who made his first trip to China in seven years to join Presidents Xi Jinping of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia. This meeting is huge! Modi's visit signals India stepping closer to China and Russia, especially after trade tensions and a whopping 50% tariff slapped on Indian goods by President Trump's administration. This tariff storm brewed partly because of India buying Russian oil — and it seems to have pushed India to cozy up with China and Russia for now. President Trump didn't hide his feelings. On Friday, he fired off a sharp comment saying it "looks like we've lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China." Ouch! But later that day, he took a slightly softer stance from the Oval Office, acknowledging that “India and the United States have a special relationship. There’s nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion.” Experts weigh in on this drama. Lisa Curtis, Indo-Pacific program director at the Center for a New American Security, says Trump's tough policies are making India "have to accommodate China," mainly on the economic side — we might see more investments and easier business visas between the two Asian giants. But she warns, "A photo op and some additional visas won't quickly wipe away decades of India-China tension." Adding to the mix, Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group, pointed out, "the US-India relationship is deeply strained and this post won't help. But India remains a geopolitical adversary of China across the region." And there's more! The Quad summit, a key alliance of Australia, India, Japan, and the US, planned for later this year, is under stress too. Initially, Trump had plans to attend, but now, according to the New York Times, those plans are off, further hinting at sour relations. So, what's cooking? Is India drifting away from the US towards China and Russia? The story is still unfolding, filled with diplomatic twists and exciting turns. Stay tuned as global chess players make their next moves!

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Tags: India-china relations, Us-india tensions, Shanghai cooperation organization, Narendra modi, Xi jinping, Donald trump,