While addressing the Eastern Economic Forum 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin joked that Russia could be symbolized by a tiger instead of the traditional bear when it comes to Russia-India-China (RIC) relations. He made the remark in reference to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s earlier description of India and China’s partnership as a “dance of the dragon and the elephant,” after which the media added the bear to represent Russia.
“Of course, the bear is a long-standing symbol of Russia, but here in the Far East we also have the world’s largest tiger species,” Putin said, pointing to the Amur or Siberian tiger that inhabits the region.
Speaking further on ties with India and China, the Russian leader emphasized that Moscow’s engagement with the Asia-Pacific and Global South goes back decades and is not influenced by the current geopolitical climate. “Our cooperation has always been based on shared interests,” he noted.
When asked about Russia’s national emblems, Putin humorously compared them to other nations. He mentioned that the United States uses the double-headed eagle as a symbol, which looks to both the East and the West. Smiling, he added that the symbol should perhaps also take into account the South.
The discussion on symbols and metaphors came just days after Putin, Xi Jinping, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in Tianjin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. There, Xi once again highlighted the imagery of the dragon and elephant representing China and India’s roles in the trilateral relationship.
By suggesting that the tiger could replace the bear, Putin linked Russia’s identity to the Far East region and its unique wildlife, while also signaling Moscow’s intent to remain an active partner in Asian and global cooperation.