At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, PM Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif photographed with their backs turned to each other. This moment caught attention during the diplomatic gathering. In a picture shared on PM Modi’s official X account, Sharif is in the background while Modi talked about his “exchange of views” with Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on energy, security, healthcare, and pharma cooperation.
Shehbaz Sharif and PM Modi maintain distance at China Summit
The distance between themalso apparent the day before during the usual family photo session of SCO leaders, where Modi and Sharif stood far apart in the group. The relationship between the two countries follows Operation Sindoor, India’s May 7 cross-border strike after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, that kept India-Pakistan relations tense in recent months.
The summit publicly announced meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Modi expressed India’s commitment to improving ties with China while emphasizing the need for border stability and addressing a nearly USD 100 billion trade deficit. This conversation was complicated by the unresolved 2020 Galwan clash and the ongoing military standoff.
Summit Conducts to strengthens India-China Ties
The SCO meet took place between PM Modi and Shehbaz Sharif amid disruptions in global trade due to US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. His administration implemented a universal 10% tariff along with steep duties specifically on China, with a temporary effect till November 10.
The US has also imposed a full 50% duty on Indian goods, including textiles, gems, jewelry, shrimp, carpets, and more. This affects about $80 billion of exports, which is roughly two-thirds of the trade with the US. India’s small exporters are working hard to expand into markets in Europe, Africa, Latin America, and the Gulf. Meanwhile, the government has promised it will “not bow down” and is pushing forward with efforts to promote exports.
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