Modi, Putin Share Armoured Aurus Senat Ride to INNOPROM Ahead of BRICS Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held bilateral talks in New Delhi on Friday, a day before the 11-member BRICS summit, and later travelled together to the INNOPROM exhibition at Bharat Mandapam in the Russian leader's armoured Aurus Senat limousine.

The vehicle, often described as a fortress on wheels, drew attention during the leaders' earlier outing at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China last year. On this occasion, the two leaders were seen smiling and patting each other on the back at the conference centre where Saturday's summit will take place.

During their discussions, the Ministry of External Affairs said the leaders reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation across trade, energy, defence, space and people-to-people ties, which remain key focus areas of the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues, including conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region. Modi reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy remain the way forward in resolving conflicts and that India stands ready to assist in peace efforts.

Modi presented Putin with a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, the classical Tamil scripture composed by the weaver-saint Thiruvalluvar. Speaking to the Russian president, Modi said the text encompasses the entire gamut of human life and expressed confidence that the translation would strengthen people-to-people contact between the two countries. In a post on X, he said the work carries the eternal wisdom of Thiruvalluvar across languages and borders.

INNOPROM, the International Industrial Exhibition, is a global platform that brings together manufacturers and buyers from around the world, offering participants a chance to showcase advanced technologies, access international markets and build business-to-business networks.

Moscow remains one of New Delhi's most important strategic partners and military suppliers. Putin last visited India in December 2025, and the two leaders had met earlier this month at an SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan.