At the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif were seen together in the official group photograph—but with no signs of interaction between them, as expected due to ongoing tensions following recent military conflict.
In the “family photo” taken at the summit reception, both leaders stood in the front row but were separated by at least eight other dignitaries. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin occupied the center positions.
This marked PM Modi’s first visit to China in seven years, a visit that comes amidst a reset in India-China relations driven partly by shifting global trade dynamics, particularly U.S. tariffs under former President Donald Trump. Modi held bilateral talks with Xi Jinping during the summit, where he raised the issue of cross-border terrorism, though Pakistan was not explicitly named in official statements.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that Modi emphasized the importance of both India and China acknowledging and supporting each other on issues like terrorism that impact regional stability.
While China and India appear to be realigning, that warmth hasn't extended to Pakistan. India maintains a firm stance of "no talks until terrorism stops." Meanwhile, Pakistan's foreign minister Ishaq Dar recently stated, “We will not beg for talks,” warning of a firm response to any aggression.
Steering clear of Shehbaz Sharif, Modi engaged in bilateral conversations with several other leaders, including Nepal’s KP Oli and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu—both featured in photos shared on Modi’s social media handle. Modi also met Myanmar junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing, expressing hope for a democratic transition in the country.
The SCO summit included 20 leaders under the "SCO Plus" format. Xi Jinping, accompanied by First Lady Peng Liyuan, hosted the leaders at a formal banquet. The ten permanent members of SCO are China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Iran, Pakistan, and Belarus. India and Pakistan joined in 2017, with Iran and Belarus inducted later.
Despite earlier outreach efforts by Modi, such as inviting Nawaz Sharif to his 2014 swearing-in and making an impromptu visit to Pakistan, the relationship has only soured in recent years due to persistent terror attacks, including the latest in Pahalgam.
As tensions remain high, Modi and Shehbaz kept their distance at the summit, symbolizing the persistent strain in India-Pakistan ties despite broader regional cooperation efforts.