Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described a 45-minute car ride with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin as an “insightful” exchange. The unusual setting underscored their growing rapport, highlighted earlier by hand-holding scenes hosted by China’s Xi Jinping. The meeting came as U.S. President Donald Trump imposed sweeping 50% tariffs on Indian goods, citing Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil and weapons. Despite U.S. pressure, India shows no sign of scaling back ties with Moscow.
Thursday, September 4
