Moscow: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday said Russia, India and China are increasingly aware of their common interests and show a clear trend towards building stronger partnerships.

His remarks came after the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, where a viral video of PM Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping sharing a warm “triple handshake” drew global attention.

Lavrov said the three nations, “representing great civilisations,” share interests in economic growth, solving social challenges and improving living standards. While differences remain, he stressed there is a visible tendency to cooperate where interests align.

The bonhomie among Modi, Putin and Xi also triggered a reaction from US President Donald Trump, who lamented that India and Russia were drawing closer to China amid strained US-India trade ties.

Experts in Moscow, however, believe RIC cooperation will likely remain more bilateral than a tightly knit bloc.