Ahead of his arrival in Delhi for a two-day state visit, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke in an exclusive interview about his widely discussed car ride with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in China. The moment, captured on September 1 in Tianjin, quickly went viral as images of the leaders travelling together in Putin’s bulletproof Aurus Senat limousine generated significant global interest.

Putin explained that the ride was entirely his idea and symbolised the personal warmth between the two leaders. He said it was not staged or pre-arranged — they simply stepped outside, saw the vehicle nearby, and decided to travel together. According to him, the conversation continued throughout the drive and even after they reached their destination.

At the time, PM Modi had also shared a photograph of the rare carpool on social media, describing his exchange with Putin as insightful. Reports indicated that Putin waited nearly ten minutes for Modi to join him for the journey from the summit venue to the hotel, and the two spent around 45 minutes talking inside the vehicle before their formal bilateral meeting. Their discussions focused on defence, energy and global developments.

This warm display came at a period when India–US trade tensions were peaking, with Washington imposing steep tariffs in response to India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil. Putin’s ongoing visit to India marks his first since 2021 and comes as the two nations celebrate 25 years of their strategic partnership. During the trip, the leaders are expected to sign multiple agreements and participate in a joint press conference.