PM Modi's Car Diplomacy Continues With German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has in recent times used informal car rides as a form of diplomacy, signaling warmth and friendship with visiting world leaders. 

From sharing rides with Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, PM Modi continued the tradition today by riding with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

PM Modi welcomed Merz to India today as part of his first official visit to the country. 

The two leaders attended a traditional kite festival and visited the Sabarmati Ashram, the spiritual retreat where Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence struggle, lived for many years. That Merz chose India for his first trip to Asia as chancellor "demonstrates how India, the world's largest democracy, is an important strategic partner for Germany," a government spokesman said on Friday in Berlin.

Prime Minister Modi shared a picture on X of him riding in a car with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, highlighting the growing friendship between India and Germany.

The friendship between India and Germany continues to grow through shared values, extensive cooperation and mutual understanding@bundeskanzler@_FriedrichMerzpic.twitter.com/MUZxMog33T

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 12, 2026

“The friendship between India and Germany continues to grow through shared values, extensive cooperation and mutual understanding,” PM Modi said.

PM Modi's Car Diplomacy

In recent times, leaders meeting PM Modi have shared informal car rides with him or personally driven him, actions that are seen as gestures of friendship.

In September 2025, PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin rode together in the same car to a major bilateral meeting during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China. Later in December 2025, PM Modi broke protocol to receive Russian President Vladimir Putin at Palam Airport. Putin travelled with PM Modi in the back seat of a white Toyota Fortuner to his residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg.

Read | PM Modi-Putin Car Ride Becomes Warning Shot Over Trump's Handling Of India Ties

PM Modi concluded his two-day visit to Jordan to commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries in December 2025. Although he was received by his Jordanian counterpart, Jafar Hassan, in a special gesture, Jordan's Crown Prince, Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, drove PM Modi to the country's museum in Amman.

In pictures posted by PM Modi, he was seen in the passenger seat of the 31-year-old Crown Prince's BMW car.

After Jordan, PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia, where he was greeted with a hug by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali at the airport in the capital, Addis Ababa. Ahmed Ali himself drove PM Modi to his hotel.

In October 2025, PM Modi also shared a ride with his British counterpart Keir Starmer and had said that the ties between India and the United Kingdom are "on the move" and "filled with great vigour."

India-UK friendship is on the move and is filled with great vigour!

A picture from earlier today, when my friend PM Starmer and I began our journey to attend the Global Fintech Fest.@Keir_Starmerpic.twitter.com/3FyVFo69Rp

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 9, 2025

The image shared by PM Modi was taken before the leaders went to attend the Global Fintech Fest 2025 in Mumbai.