Tianjin, September 1 – In a rare and symbolic gesture, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Prime Minister Narendra Modi a ride in his Aurus limousine on Monday as the two leaders traveled together to the venue of their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. According to Russia’s national radio station Vesti FM, the two leaders continued their discussions inside the car while on their way to the hotel, where they were scheduled to meet with their respective delegations.
Upon arrival at the hotel, instead of immediately joining their teams, Modi and Putin remained inside the limousine and spoke privately for nearly 50 minutes. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov later confirmed that the leaders held a face-to-face conversation in the car lasting close to an hour. Modi also shared a photograph of himself with the Russian President from inside the limousine on social media, describing their exchanges as always meaningful.
As per agency report, observers in Moscow suggested that this could have been one of the most significant private conversations between the two leaders, possibly touching upon issues not disclosed to others. During their bilateral dialogue, Modi reiterated to Putin that bringing the Ukraine conflict to an end at the earliest is a call of humanity and emphasized the need to find pathways to lasting peace in the region.
Modi also mentioned that India looks forward to welcoming Putin in December for the annual summit talks, underlining the importance of continued engagement between New Delhi and Moscow. The limousine ride and extended conversation highlighted the personal rapport between the two leaders amid ongoing global challenges.
