The latest instance unfolded on Monday when UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in New Delhi for an exceptionally brief visit lasting just over an hour and a half. Breaking established protocol, Prime Minister Modi personally received him at the Palam Air Force Station and travelled with him in the same car — a moment that underlined the warmth of India–UAE ties and immediately caught public attention.
How the trend began: Putin and the SCO moment
The roots of this diplomatic pattern can be traced to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in China last year. On the sidelines of the summit, PM Modi and President Vladimir Putin shared a ride in a Russian-made Aurus sedan while travelling to the Ritz-Carlton in Tianjin. Putin later revealed that the idea was his, describing the gesture as a symbol of friendship between the two leaders. When Putin visited New Delhi subsequently, the two leaders repeated the carpool, reinforcing the personal chemistry that often defines India–Russia relations.
UK: A message of momentum
The trend continued with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his first official visit to India after assuming office in July 2024. Ahead of attending the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai, Modi and Starmer were photographed travelling together, with the Indian Prime Minister posting that India–UK ties were “on the move and filled with great vigour.” The imagery aligned neatly with the visit’s focus on trade, technology and future-facing cooperation.
Germany: Shared values on the road
During German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to India earlier this year, PM Modi again shared a car ride, later tweeting about the growing friendship between the two countries rooted in shared values and expanding cooperation. The gesture complemented the broader message of deepening strategic and economic engagement between New Delhi and Berlin.
West Asia and Africa: Jordan and Ethiopia
Modi’s car diplomacy has not been limited to Western leaders. In Jordan, Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II personally drove the Prime Minister to The Jordan Museum, a moment Modi highlighted on social media. On the same day in Africa, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed went a step further, receiving Modi at Addis Ababa airport and driving him to his hotel, even making unscheduled stops at cultural landmarks — a rare and highly symbolic welcome.
UAE: Optics amid regional churn
The UAE President’s ultra-short visit to India brought renewed focus to the significance of these gestures. Modi’s decision to personally receive Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and travel with him reflected not only personal warmth but also the strategic depth of India–UAE relations at a time of heightened tensions across West Asia. The images of the two leaders together reinforced Abu Dhabi’s position as one of India’s closest partners in the region.
More than just optics
While critics may view these moments as carefully choreographed optics, diplomats note that such gestures serve a deeper purpose. They project trust, equality and personal engagement — qualities that often ease difficult conversations behind closed doors. In an era of increasingly transactional diplomacy, PM Modi’s “carpool diplomacy” has emerged as a subtle but effective tool, blending informality with strategic messaging.
From Beijing to Berlin, Moscow to Abu Dhabi, these shared car rides have become visual shorthand for India’s evolving global relationships — personal, confident and increasingly central to world affairs.
