Russia, India, China: Beyond the bonhomie

A new order – RIC – has been declared. In reality it was time for the PM Modi to drive home a point subtly.

The media in India is euphoric about Prime Minister Modi’s visit to China. A section of the press, experts and commentators have gone all-out to drive home a point about the new-found bonhomie. The mention of Pahalgam and India being a victim of terror is being seen as a big victory for New Delhi. It no doubt is… but I would ask at what cost? Only time will tell.

Terror on Indian soil has been mentioned for the first time in a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) joint declaration. We have worked really hard to get Pahalgam in there as well, but let’s not jump the gun! We should all know by now that when China is involved it’s not all black and white. India has had to make concessions for this victory.

Community of Common Destiny

If terror in India was mentioned for the first in a SCO joint declaration, then so was the explicit mention of “Community of shared Future for Mankind”, which the Communist Party of China refers to “Community of Common Destiny”. This is a central tenet of President Xi Jinping’s foreign policy. It is a vision for a new world order diverging from the western-dominated one. Some have also called it the next “NATO in the making”. The core idea being the world is one community and your destiny and my destiny are the same. This idea which has been a part of SCO declarations since 2021 in Dushanbe was mentioned and strongly reiterated several times in the final declaration at Tianjin. If the BRI and China’s cheque-book diplomacy are the trailer, we call all imagine what the “Community of Common Destiny” has in store for us.

This reminds me of Shakespeare’s ‘Merchant of Venice’ and Shylock’s ‘Pound of Flesh’. If history is anything to go by, we should not get complacent and be ready for any eventuality while dealing with China… because when you least expect it, Beijing is going to come calling for its ‘Pound of Flesh’! Who or what will be our Portia and break that bond? That’s what we need to focus on.

The foundation has already been laid by New Delhi. While a signatory to the declaration, India did not directly or explicitly endorse the "Community of Common Destiny" as its own. Instead, a significant diplomatic achievement for India at the 2025 summit was the inclusion of its own vision, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - "One Earth, One Family, One Future", within the same declaration. This was a major step, as it placed India's diplomatic philosophy on par with China's within the SCO framework.

Why terror wasn’t a really big win

Along with Pahalgam the Jaffar Express attack and other attacks in Pakistan were also strongly condemned in the declaration. Clearly not giving the attack in Kashmir the attention it deserved. The language on terror was also the same old mundane words we’ve come to get accustomed to at SCO summits.

For those who thought that Pakistan and China are drifting away, thanks to President Trump and his antics, think again. Pakistan is China’s ‘Trump’ card that can be used at any point in time. It will not abandon its all-weather friend.

The Theatrics

The optics were clearly on display at Tianjin and all the world leaders who had gathered there put on a grand show. The media bought it and headlines spoke of a major thaw in Indian-China ties and a reset in the bilateral relationship. A new order – RIC – was also declared. But that was only in the papers and on high-pitched TV. In reality it was time for the Prime Minister to drive home a point subtly.

Sovereignty and connectivity were intertwined and was another central theme at this year’s SCO Summit. Xi introduced the Global Governance Initiative, which is centred on equal sovereignty and multilateralism. This was expertly countered by PM Modi who said “connectivity that bypasses sovereignty loses trust and meaning”, which was a direct reference to the CPEC and how it infringes on our sovereignty.

Another finely put across point was China’s stand on India’s permanent seat at the UNSC. China has been the only country to oppose a permanent seat for India at the United Nations Security Council. The other P4 nations have all endorsed India publicly. Since the Yekaterinburg SCO Summit in 2009 China has sung the same tune. Beijing has maintained that India should play a bigger role at the UN, but never endorsed India to be a part of the UNSC, in fact Beijing has always strongly opposed it.

PM Modi addressed that issue as well. He explicitly called for the reform of multilateral institutions, including the United Nations. He referred to UN reforms as a black & white screen showing the same old picture of India and the Global South. “We need to change the screen”, he said, sending out a strong message through the SCO Platform.

The road ahead is going to be a bumpy one, we have to buckle in and weather the storm. The time to fire on all cylinders is now, and we have to proceed with caution.

India-Russia Dynamic

Luckily for us, there was another significant development in China, the 50-minute car ride between Modi and President Putin followed by a 50-minute sit down meet. The outcomes are still not clear as both sides are tight-lipped. Russia however has been a close and trusted ally of India for years and Trump has only pushed us even closer together. It seems like the restart of good things to come.

Let’s not forget that unlike India, circumstances have brought Russia and China together. They are not natural allies. Russia has a longer border with China than India does and is always weary of Beijing. Trust is what is lacking between the three nations and will continue to be a stumbling block.

Well, there was yet another meeting that took place in Tianjin between PM Modi and Cai Qi, one of the seven members of the Chinese Communist Party Politburo Standing Committee and the director of the CCP General Office. He is the eyes and ears of Xi. I’m not sure what to make of this meeting though. It can be one of two things, Xi didn’t have the time and hence got his man Friday to accompany the visiting dignitary and keep him engaged; or put the PM across to a man on the ground that can get past the slow bureaucratic processes and get the ball rolling as soon as possible. I’ll let you decide.

(Frank Rausan Pereira, the writer is a Senior Journalist and Founder, Bharata First.)

Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.