Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s close rapport with Russian President Vladimir Putin became the top trend on Chinese social media on Monday, stealing the spotlight from official proceedings of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin.

On Weibo, China’s largest social media platform, the leading trending topic was “Modi takes Putin’s car”. Meanwhile, Baidu, the country’s top search engine, saw “Modi and Putin hugged and chatted hand-in-hand” emerge as the most searched phrase.

The viral trend followed reports that President Putin waited nearly 10 minutes for Prime Minister Modi so they could ride together from the SCO venue to their bilateral meeting. Many Chinese users described this gesture as symbolic of the “special friendship” between India and Russia.

Weibo, often compared to X (formerly Twitter), is widely used for trending conversations, videos, and real-time debates. Baidu, with its dominant search presence, amplified the story further, showing massive online interest in Modi-Putin camaraderie.

The optics of the two leaders sharing a car resonated strongly in China, where social media users praised the bond as an indicator of deep trust. Analysts say such imagery underscores the enduring strategic partnership between New Delhi and Moscow.

Prime Minister Modi concluded his two-day Tianjin visit after attending the 25th SCO Heads of State Council meeting. He also held talks with several world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Putin.

Before leaving for New Delhi, Modi posted on X: “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.”

At the summit, India reiterated its three-pillar approach — Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity — and the meeting ended with the adoption of the Tianjin Declaration. Kyrgyzstan assumed the rotating presidency of the SCO.