A shot of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif just kind of standing there, watching as India’s Narendra Modi and Russia’s Vladimir Putin strolled right past him at the SCO Summit is going viral.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Gets Ignored
This all played out on the sidelines, with leaders gathering for the usual ceremonial stuff. Modi, Putin, and China’s Xi Jinping were spotted at one point, chatting and even posing for photos like old friends. Not long after, Modi and Putin went in for a warm hug.
The summit itself kicked off Sunday night, with Xi throwing a huge banquet for the visiting dignitaries, Modi and Putin among them.
This year’s gathering was massive, the biggest yet for the 10-member SCO. With China holding the presidency, they extended invitations to 20 foreign leaders and heads of 10 international organisations, including the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres.
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif looks on as PM Modi and President Putin walk past him at the SCO Summit. pic.twitter.com/7u9FgnS6an
— Tar21Operator (@Tar21Operator) September 1, 2025
During the banquet, Xi made it clear: the SCO has some serious responsibilities now, especially when it comes to keeping the peace in the region and helping countries develop in this unpredictable world.
He sounded pretty confident that, with everyone working together, this summit would be a win and the SCO would step up as a force for unity and cooperation.
About the SCO Summit
The SCO Summit started back in 2001 in Shanghai with just six members. Now it’s a 26-nation network: 10 full members, two observers, and 14 dialogue partners across Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Heavy hitters like China, Russia, and India are in the mix, meaning the group represents nearly half the world’s population and a quarter of the global economy.
This Tianjin summit was the biggest ever for the SCO. Member states were set to sign off on some key documents, including a development strategy for the next decade.
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