Using a Range Rover or Mercedes during Putin’s visit may have been avoided to prevent projecting a Western-brand image at a diplomatically sensitive moment.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, December 5, 2025: In a rare departure from established diplomatic and security protocol, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin travelled from Palam Technical Airport on Wednesday evening in a single white Toyota Fortuner to 7, Lok Kalyan Marg — marking the first time in recent memory that two serving heads of government have shared a non-flagship SUV for an official movement.
The 20-minute drive from the airbase to the Prime Minister’s residence, typically undertaken in heavily armoured Range Rover Sentinels or Mercedes-Maybach S-Guard limousines, instead saw both leaders seated in the front row of a Toyota Fortuner Sigma 4 diesel manual (registration MH 01 EN 5795), surrounded by a multi-layered Special Protection Group (SPG) convoy.
According to reports, the vehicle, registered on 24 April 2024 in the central government pool, is BS-VI compliant with a fitness certificate valid until 2039. Although it bore standard white civilian plates rather than the customary red plates or special-series numbers, security officials stressed that the SUV had undergone the required armouring and secure-communications upgrades.
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Experts feel that using a Range Rover or Mercedes during Putin’s visit may have been avoided to prevent projecting a Western-brand image at a diplomatically sensitive moment.
🚨 Why PM Modi and President Putin travelled in a Fortuner when there were luxury limos available? Read here: 👇🏻🇮🇳🇷🇺
> Toyota Fortuner is a Japanese car that’s manufactured in Bengaluru.
> It felt like a neutral, safe choice that signalled India’s independent foreign policy.
— Beats in Brief 🗞️ (@beatsinbrief) December 5, 2025
The Toyota Fortuner platform is widely used by SPG and other agencies because of its robust ladder-frame construction, ease of armour integration, and ability to blend with regular traffic.
Modi’s decision to drive up to the aircraft stairs and then share what is typically a “chase” or “support” vehicle was described by diplomats as a visible marker of personal chemistry between the two leaders at a time when India–Russia ties are under heightened global scrutiny.
Putin’s two-day visit — the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit — concludes today with delegation-level talks and the signing of key agreements at Hyderabad House. Restricted talks and a private dinner were held at the Prime Minister’s residence on Wednesday night.
Security analysts noted that although the lead vehicle was a Fortuner, the convoy retained its full complement of decoy SUVs, jammer-equipped escort vehicles, and route-securing elements, ensuring there was no dilution of Z+ category protection standards.
The choice of a made-for-India SUV over European armoured flagships was widely viewed as both a pragmatic decision and a symbolic nod to the depth and durability of the India–Russia strategic partnership.
