BEIJING, July 15, 2025 — In a rare gesture of unity, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, China, and Russia were widely photographed walking hand‑in‑hand at the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Beijing today. The visual moment—widely shared on social media and state media channels—sent a strong diplomatic signal of trilateral camaraderie. As Russia’s Sergei Lavrov continued high-level contacts in Beijing, including a sit-down with President Xi Jinping to prepare for Putin’s upcoming visit in September, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar aligned himself thoroughly with Moscow and Beijing—while India’s diplomatic outreach remained conspicuously peripheral ().
India’s Jaishankar Meets Xi Jinping, But Stays on the Sidelines
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar marked his first visit to China in six years with a brief meeting with President Xi, in what New Delhi described as “cautious optimism.” Jaishankar spoke about crafting a “far‑seeing approach” toward bilateral relations—and updated Xi on recent developments between the two neighbours . Yet, he was absent from the high-profile hand‑holding picture, underscoring India’s marginalisation amid growing cooperation among the other three powers.
Tensions Surface Over Terrorism and Defence Statements
The coordinated display among Pakistan, China, and Russia comes after SCO defence ministers failed to agree on a joint communique in Qingdao on June 26. India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declined to sign the statement, citing its failure to mention the April 22 Pahalgam attack which killed 26 Indian tourists—while emphasising militant activity in Balochistan instead . He urged that nations providing safe havens for terrorists must be held accountable, pushing back on attempts to dilute anti‑terror language .
Deeper Geopolitical Messaging Within SCO
Read Top Stories
Experts interpret today’s hand‑holding as more than symbolic optics. This triangle—Russian, Chinese, and Pakistani diplomacy—hints at an intentional strategic grouping within the SCO designed to counterbalance India’s assertive stance. Lavrov’s visit and discussions with Xi reinforced the “no-limits” China–Russia partnership, with Pakistan visibly woven into the narrative . India’s firm position on terrorism, though principled, increasingly sets it apart as a diplomatic outlier within the current SCO context.
What It Means for Future SCO Dynamics
With Pakistan collaborating closely with China and Russia—and India blending diplomacy with strong public messaging on terrorism—the SCO appears to be diverging into competing axes. India’s continued presence in multilateral discussions, even amid exclusion from symbolic moments, illustrates a split that could shape the organization’s trajectory. Analysts note that this trend risks transforming SCO into a forum where alignment with Beijing and Moscow becomes the real determinant of influence, potentially sidelining countries pursuing more autonomous policies ().
