From Car Ride to Handshake: Modi-Putin Camaraderie Trends Across China

Sept, 2025 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong rapport with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday became the most discussed subject on Chinese social media, overshadowing several major events of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin.

In the first half of the day, the top trending topic on Weibo — China’s largest social media platform — was “Modi takes Putin’s car”. Meanwhile, on Baidu, the country’s leading search engine, the most searched phrase was “Modi and Putin hugged and chatted hand-in-hand”.

The online buzz began after reports surfaced that President Putin personally waited nearly 10 minutes for Prime Minister Modi so the two leaders could ride together to the venue of their bilateral meeting from the SCO conference site.

Weibo, often compared to X (formerly Twitter), serves as a hub for trending discussions, short messages, and viral videos. Baidu, China’s dominant search engine, amplified the moment further. Together, they reflected the surge of public curiosity and commentary around the Modi-Putin camaraderie, which many Chinese users described as a sign of the “special friendship” between India and Russia.

Prime Minister Modi wrapped up his two-day visit to Tianjin after attending the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO. Apart from his interaction with President Putin, Modi also met Chinese President Xi Jinping and other world leaders.

“Concluding a productive visit to China, where I attended the SCO Summit and interacted with various world leaders. Also emphasised India’s stand on key global issues. Thankful to President Xi Jinping, the Chinese government and people for the successful organisation of this Summit,” the Prime Minister posted on X before departing for New Delhi.

At the SCO meeting, PM Modi reiterated India’s approach based on three pillars — Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity. He emphasised the urgent need for collective global action against terrorism, reforms in global governance institutions, and enhanced avenues for start-ups, youth engagement, and cultural exchanges within the SCO framework.

The summit concluded with the adoption of the Tianjin Declaration, setting the stage for future cooperation among member nations. Kyrgyzstan formally took over the rotating presidency of the SCO.

For many observers, however, the lasting image of the summit was not in its formal declarations, but in the optics of Modi and Putin — a display of personal warmth that dominated digital conversations across China.