TIANJIN, China — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi clasped Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hand with the gusto of an old friend on Monday, breaking into his trademark hearty laughter as the two leaders grinned and chuckled.

Chinese President Xi Jinping stood alongside them, offering a measured smile as the three huddled briefly in conversation before lining up for a group photo.

The informal exchange came ahead of the opening of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in northern China’s port city of Tianjin.

The gathering of Eurasian powers, once viewed as a counterweight to U.S. influence in Central Asia, has expanded in both membership and weight on the global stage.

Xi used his opening remarks to call for the rejection of “Cold War thinking, rival blocs and bullying,” urging member states to strengthen a U.N.-centered international system and move toward a more multipolar world order.

He said the forum should push for “a more just and balanced global governance system” as geopolitical rivalries intensify. — Agencies