India, Sept. 1 -- All eyes were on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO summit. Beyond routine diplomacy, the encounter carried added weight, bound by a common thread linking the three leaders - US President Donald Trump and his tariff threats.

Trump recently slapped 25 per cent additional tariffs on Indian imports for buying Russian oil, over a month after he threatened Putin with 100 per cent tariffs on Russia if it didn't agree to a peace deal. China also comes into play here, being the largest buyer of Russian oil, surpassing even India.

Apart from statements and declarations, people awaited the meeting between the PM Modi, Jinping a...