PM Modi, Russia's Putin repeat 'carpool diplomacy' at 2026 SCO after Tianjin ride

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin travelled in the same car as they headed to the opening ceremony of the sixth World Nomad Games at Bishkek Arena,

The trip happened following the bilateral meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.

This isn't the first time that PM Modi and Putin have travelled in the same car. Both of them did it at the last SCO Summit in China’s Tianjin last year. Putin had also done the same with PM Modi during his trip to India in December last year.

The Modi-Putin meeting

Before the trip, PM Modi met with President Putin on Monday on the sidelines of the summit in Bishkek, where the Russian leader praised the PM for his “personal attention” to India-Russia relations.

Visuals from the meeting showed both leaders sharing a hug.

"We must move away from endless war towards an end to the war," Prime Minister Modi told the Russian President.

Looking ahead to the diplomatic calendar, PM Modi extended a formal invitation to the Russian President for the upcoming BRICS Summit in New Delhi. "We are eager to welcome you to India for the BRICS Summit in New Delhi this September," PM Modi said, adding that the visit would "further strengthen India-Russia relations."

Responding to the Prime Minister's remarks, President Vladimir Putin expressed his gratitude for India's consistent diplomatic engagement.

"I'm very grateful to you for your personal attention to the Russia-India relationship," President Putin said, acknowledging the Prime Minister's role in maintaining momentum in bilateral ties.

The two leaders were seen sharing a hug and a handshake upon their meeting.

PM Modi's car diplomacy in Uzbekistan

Narendra Modi was received by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev upon his arrival in Tashkent late on Saturday. He was once again spotted riding in a car with the Uzbek leader, in one more instance of “car diplomacy.”

PM Modi received a grand welcome in the presence of President Mirziyoyev, with the country's state anthem, "O`zbekiston Respublikasining Davlat Madhiyasi"

Sharing images on the social media platform X, PM Modi said he was grateful to Mirziyoyev for the warm welcome. “Landed in Tashkent to a warm welcome by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Grateful to him for the special gesture.”

The two leaders, PM Modi and President Mirziyoyev, were seen travelling together by car from the airport to the presidential palace, where they then held a dinner meeting. Other pictures showed the two leaders sharing a hug.

The ‘car diplomacy’ trend had gained momentum after PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin rode together for their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China, in 2025.