PM Modi's meet with Putin, terror focus as all eyes on SCO summit Day 2

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The most closely watched moment today is expected to be PM Modi's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, set against the backdrop of his recent phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump's decision to target Delhi with additional tariffs over its purchase of Russian oil.

Leaders and officials, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, attend a photo ceremony at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin

New Delhi,UPDATED: Sep 1, 2025 07:29 IST

As the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit enters its second and final day in Tianjin, all eyes will be on the grouping's joint declaration to be released later today—particularly on whether it will mention the Pahalgam terror attacks. The attacks were omitted from the SCO Defence Ministers’ joint declaration a few months ago, which instead referenced Balochistan, prompting Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to refuse to sign the document.

Another point of interest will be whether member nations include strong language on US President Donald Trump’s tariff war.

So far, the signs have been cautiously optimistic for India, with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s handshake with Prime Minister Narendra Modi making headlines on Day 1.

From a cheerful SCO family photograph featuring leaders of the summit—with PM Modi in the front row alongside Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Shehbaz Sharif—the optics today will be closely watched as the leaders meet face to face, particularly given Turkey’s backing of Pakistan on international platforms and during Operation Sindoor.

The most closely watched moment today, however, is expected to be PM Modi’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, set against the backdrop of his recent phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump’s decision to target Delhi with additional tariffs over its purchase of Russian oil.

What to Expect on Day 2 of the SCO Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin today. This meeting comes after the United States imposed an additional 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods as a penalty for its purchase of Russian oil. This bilateral discussion is expected to address Trump's trade war and Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and will also pave the way for Putin's visit to India later this year.
A significant point of interest at the summit is the joint declaration, which India hopes will include a strong condemnation of cross-border terrorism. On a positive note, PM Modi raised the issue of cross-border terrorism with Xi, who extended his support. How this plays out in today’s joint declaration remains to be seen. On a positive note, PM Modi raised the issue of cross-border terrorism with Xi, who extended his support. How this plays out in today’s joint declaration remains to be seen.
"As far as the declaration at this summit is concerned, that is under finalisation — the text. We are working with other members and partners to see that there should be a reiteration of the strong condemnation of terrorism," Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Tanmaya Lal, said.
It will be interesting to see if the SCO joint declaration may also include criticism of United States President Donald Trump's tariff war, reflecting the tensions between the US and several SCO member states, including India, China and Russia. The presence of Indonesian and Malaysian leaders could also lead to a condemnation of Israel's actions in Gaza.
The SCO summit is taking place during a delicate time in India-Pakistan relations. Following the Pahalgam attack, India launched strikes on terror hubs in Pakistan, triggering a brief conflict.