Thu Sep 04 16:20:33 UTC 2025: ## Photo of Modi, Xi, and Putin Sparks Debate About a New World Order
**Tianjin** – A photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit has ignited discussions about a potential shift in global power dynamics. The image, showing the three leaders smiling and interacting warmly, is being interpreted by some as a signal of a new, Asia-centric world order challenging the dominance of the United States.
The leaders, representing nations that have faced tariffs from the US administration, were seen engaging in apparent camaraderie. Photos show Modi clasping Putin’s hand and laughing, while Xi maintained a measured smile. Other images depicted Modi and Putin greeting Xi animatedly and the leaders walking shoulder-to-shoulder.
The photograph has drawn significant attention in Western media. US political commentator Van Jones, speaking on CNN, described the gathering as a sign of a “multi-polar global landscape” that could send a “chill down the spine of every American.”
“We’re going to look back on today historically as a very big deal because that image of Xi Jinping with Putin, with Modi from India, with the leader of Iran, with the leader of North Korea, that should send a chill down the spine of every American,” Jones said.
The New York Times echoed this sentiment, stating that the “bonhomie” between Xi and Putin was intended to convey a close bond and challenge the United States’ global leadership. They also noted that Modi’s presence suggested India was seeking alternative allies amidst ongoing trade tensions with Washington.
The SCO summit itself, originally a regional forum, has grown in influence and is seen by some as an emerging challenge to US global leadership. Xi Jinping called for a rejection of “Cold War thinking” and advocated for a more “just and balanced global governance system.”
These meetings coincided with a parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender, where Xi, Putin, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stood together. Xi warned against returning to a “law of the jungle.”
President Trump responded to these events via Truth Social, sarcastically wishing Xi well and asking him to convey his “warmest regards” to Putin and Kim “as you conspire against the United States of America.”
First Piper 