Modi Joins Putin & Jinping at China Summit: India’s Shift Amid Trump’s Tariff Threat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to touch down in China shortly for a regional security summit in Tianjin. It’s his first visit in seven years, and the timing is hard to ignore. PM Modi will be sitting alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, just as India’s relationship with the United States faces one of its most serious challenges, in recent memory at least.

For PM Modi, photos of him standing alongside Xi and Putin are more than symbolic. India wants to show it won’t be bullied on global issues, whether it’s energy, trade, or defence. It is now a world where alliances (and super-powers) are shifting faster than ever.

It is to be noted that while India is facing a problem in its relation with one superpower of the world (USA), it is developing strong ties with the other three superpowers--Japan, China and Russia. It is considered as a major development in India's foreign policy. 

The US recently doubled tariffs on $60 billion worth of Indian exports, accusing New Delhi of continuing to purchase Russian oil despite global pressure to cut ties with Moscow. The move has shaken businesses in sectors like textiles and jewellery, leaving many wondering how India will navigate this new pressure.

The summit represents more than just a routine diplomatic engagement. With India-China relations cautiously stabilising and tensions with Washington mounting, the picture of PM Modi standing alongside Xi and Putin will perhaps carry a clear message that India is charting an independent course in a rapidly changing world, where a potential new global order could be taking shape.

Russia, too, is likely to seize the moment. Putin can show that India still values its partnership with Moscow, despite Washington’s pressure. Meanwhile, India continues to defend its Russian oil imports, citing energy security, stable domestic prices, and compliance with international law. It is notable how PM Modi has kept a careful line on Ukraine, urging peace without openly criticising Russia.

Also, the economic stakes are high. The US is India’s largest export market, and the new tariffs hit two-thirds of those exports. In response, India has launched a push to expand exports to other markets, like the UK and South Korea to reduce dependence on the dominant US market.

Before heading to China, PM Modi visited Tokyo for the annual India-Japan summit, deepening ties with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Japan is expected to invest heavily in India over the next decade, including billions from Suzuki Motor. Strengthening relations with Tokyo is seen as a way to cushion the impact of lost access to the US market.

At the summit in Tianjin, trade and investment will be on the agenda, but if looked at closely, the real story is about a potential shift in the global order. As multiple countries, including India, China, Russia, and Japan, claim more independence in foreign policy and trade, the traditional dominance of the West is being tested. Historical mistrust between India and China still remains, particularly along the Himalayan border, but both sides are now seeking a more predictable and stable working relationship, or so it looks like.

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