Modi-Putin ‘car diplomacy’: Four shared rides in a year

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin have met for the fourth time in a year, sharing a ride together at various diplomatic events. On Friday, the two leaders travelled together from Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi to the INNOPROM industrial exhibition. This marks the latest in a pattern of shared car journeys that have become an unusual but common feature of their diplomatic encounters.

The Times of India reports that this is the fourth instance of Modi and Putin travelling in the same vehicle within the past year, following previous meetings in Tianjin, New Delhi, and Bishkek. The first of these recent rides occurred in September 2025 during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, China. After the summit, Putin offered Modi a ride in his Russian-made Aurus limousine as they journeyed to their bilateral meeting.

Their conversation in the car extended for nearly an hour before they engaged in formal talks. Putin later described the decision to travel together as a symbol of friendship between the two leaders. Three months later, when Putin visited New Delhi for a state visit, Modi personally greeted him at Palam airport. The two leaders left the airport in the same vehicle, engaging in casual conversation en route to Modi's residence.

Less than two weeks ago, in Kyrgyzstan, they once again shared a car, travelling to the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games. Modi had urged Putin to work towards ending the war in Ukraine during their talks, emphasizing the need for a shift from "endless war to the end of war". During their most recent Delhi meeting, Modi presented Putin with a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, a classical Tamil work.

The Prime Minister expressed confidence that this literary exchange would strengthen the people-to-people contact and enhance bilateral relations.