At the recent SCO summit in Tianjin, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov highlighted the shared interests among Russia, India, and China, as evidenced by the symbolic “triple handshake” between leaders Modi, Putin, and Xi. This gesture reflects an emerging multipolar order, emphasizing energy, connectivity, technology, and security cooperation amid existing territorial tensions, particularly between India and China. While this trilateral alignment poses challenges to Western influence, it showcases India’s strategic balancing act in fostering relations with both Russia and China while maintaining ties with the U.S. The dynamics suggest a complex interplay of cooperation and competition among these major powers, with significant geopolitical implications for the global landscape.