India rejects US pressure with stronger China-Russia bonds

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited SCO leaders in Tianjin to invest in India’s startups and initiatives to promote shared cultural heritage. Supporting entrepreneurship and innovation could boost trade and economic cooperation in the region, Modi stated, in his first visit to the northern neighbour in seven years.

Even though security was the main focus, the summit also addressed global trade tensions. The Tianjin Declaration criticized US tariffs, calling “unilateral coercive measures, including economic ones,” a violation of UN and WTO rules.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who chaired the summit, called on the group to “oppose the Cold War mentality, bloc confrontation and bullying practices”, a thinly-veiled reference to what Beijing sees as the US’s strong-arm tactics. “We should make the pie of cooperation bigger, and fully utilize the endowment of every country so that we can fulfill our responsibility for peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region,” Xi said.

President Xi also announced a 2 billion yuan grant to SCO member states this year and 10 billion yuan in loans through the SCO Interbank Consortium over the next three years. He also pushed for the creation of an SCO Development Bank.

Modi seized the opportunity of his first visit to China since 2018 to stress India’s commitment to strengthening ties within the SCO framework and promoting regional stability and development, and stressed that there must be “no double standards” in tackling terrorism. He also proposed starting a Civilizational Dialogue Forum in the SCO to strengthen people-to-people ties and cultural exchanges, saying such efforts would go hand in hand with India’s focus on security and connectivity.

The gathering also presented India with an opportunity to engage its friends under a global spotlight. Earlier in the day, Modi highlighted his bond with Putin with a warm embrace and a shared car ride.

“India and Russia have a special and privileged partnership,” Modi said in opening remarks at a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “In the most difficult and testing times, India and Russia have always stood by each other,” Modi said, adding India “eagerly” awaits Putin’s visit later this year. The interaction also sends a strong message to Washington that India will not be cowed by America’s branding of New Delhi as aiding Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Apart from discussing cooperation across economic, financial, and energy sectors, their conversation also covered regional and global issues, including the ongoing situation in Ukraine. Modi reiterated India’s support for recent initiatives aimed at addressing the conflict, emphasizing the urgency of expediting a cessation of hostilities.

In his speech, Modi called for coordinated action on terror financing and radicalisation. “Countries that perpetrate and support cross-border terrorism must be held accountable,” he said, thanking SCO members for their solidarity after the Pahalgam attack.

Amid Washington’s controversial assertion of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, the Tianjin Declaration issued one of its strongest condemnations of terrorism to date. The declaration, endorsed by all 10 member states including Pakistan, singled out the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir — an incident New Delhi has blamed on Pakistan-sponsored groups — marking a rare moment when Islamabad found itself formally condemning violence in Kashmir.

For New Delhi, the diplomatic value of the statement is significant. It compels Pakistan to stand alongside India on record, condemning an act of terror in the Valley — a position New Delhi has sought to cement in multilateral forums.

The Tianjin declaration comes at a time the US, led by President Donald Trump, has sought to cast itself as a peacemaker in South Asia, claiming to have facilitated a ceasefire following recent India-Pakistan hostilities. The document “strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms” and explicitly referred not only to the Pahalgam attack but also to the Jaffer Express and Khuzdar terror strikes in Pakistan. It called for curbing the “cross-border movement” of terrorists — language that directly reflects India’s long-standing demands.

The Tianjin Declaration opened by warning that the world is undergoing “profound historical changes” across political and socio-economic spheres. It placed particular emphasis on amplifying the voice of the Global South.

Experts argue that India’s strategy is being shaped by tariff uncertainties from Washington. “If the US continues to weaponize tariffs, groupings like the SCO will seek to amplify alternative voices in trade governance. India is carefully leveraging this forum to shield its exporters from being squeezed in a great power rivalry,” said Dr. Amit Singh, associate professor, special centre for national security studies at JNU.

While all members except India reaffirmed support for Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Modi used his address to highlight alternative connectivity projects like Chabahar port and the International North-South Transport Corridor. He further proposed launching a Civilizational Dialogue Forum to foster cultural and people-to-people ties.

On connectivity, Modi advocated for enhanced cooperation through projects such as Chabahar port and the International North-South Transport Corridor, describing infrastructure links as critical for fostering development and building trust among member states.

In terms of institutional reform, Modi welcomed initiatives to address organized crime, drug trafficking, and cyber security, and called for a similar approach to reforming multilateral bodies, including the United Nations. He reiterated India’s support for the SCO’s reform-oriented agenda and urged deeper collaboration across the group’s member states.

In his speech, Modi advocated for enhanced cooperation through projects such as Chabahar port and the International North-South Transport Corridor, describing infrastructure links as critical for fostering development and building trust among member states.

In terms of institutional reform, Modi welcomed initiatives to address organized crime, drug trafficking, and cyber security, and called for a similar approach to reforming multilateral bodies, including the United Nations. He reiterated India’s support for the SCO’s reform-oriented agenda and urged deeper collaboration across the group’s member states.

A day before, India’s foreign secretary Vikram said that Modi and Xi Jinping had held substantive discussions on the evolving trade environment. “They recognized the challenges posed by the international situation, and agreed to leverage this for deepening bilateral understanding and taking forward economic and commercial relations,” Misri said.

This conversation was set against the backdrop of India’s ballooning trade deficit with China, which reached nearly $100 billion in FY25 as imports surged to $113.45 billion, against exports of just $14.25 billion. New Delhi is also weighing whether to ease Covid-era curbs on Chinese investments in select manufacturing sectors, auto components, and renewables, even as it continues to press Beijing for greater market access for Indian goods.