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Modi’s ‘Car Diplomacy’ Rolls On: PM Uses Symbolic Drives to Cement Global Ties

NEW DELHI – Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s penchant for “car diplomacy” was once again on display as he was recently driven by both Jordanian Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. This continues a trend of using shared car rides as a symbolic gesture of trust and personal connection with world leaders.

Modi has a history of engaging in these informal encounters. Previously, he shared rides with prominent figures like former U.S. President Barack Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Instances of Modi’s “car diplomacy” include:

  • Jordan: Crown Prince Al Hussein drove PM Modi to the Jordan Museum in Amman.
  • Ethiopia: PM Abiy Ahmed Ali personally received PM Modi at the airport and drove him to his hotel.
  • Russia: Both in 2018 and 2024, President Putin shared car rides with PM Modi, in 2024, Putin even drove Modi around his residence in an electric car.
  • United States: In 2014, President Obama invited PM Modi to ride in his limousine during a visit to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
  • Japan & India: PM Modi and the late Shinzo Abe famously rode in a Maruti Suzuki Gypsy during a roadshow in Ahmedabad, India. In Japan, Modi was seen driving a bullet train with Abe.
  • Israel: Multiple shared car rides with then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during official visits in 2017 and 2018.

Analysts suggest that these informal interactions are carefully cultivated to build rapport and strengthen bilateral relations beyond formal meetings. The choice of vehicle and the act of driving itself are seen as symbolic gestures of equality, trust, and a willingness to engage on a personal level.

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