PM Modi’s ‘car diplomacy’ on display as he shares ride with Israeli PM Netanyahu after historic Knesset address

PM Modi, Netanyahu share car ride after Knesset address, underline strong India-Israel ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday shared a car ride with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the two leaders headed to a technology exhibition following Modi’s address at the Knesset, highlighting the personal touch that has come to define his diplomatic outreach.

“After my Knesset address, PM Netanyahu and I are on the way to an exhibition which showcases strides made in the world of technology,” PM Modi posted on X, sharing a picture of the two leaders.

After my Knesset address, PM Netanyahu and I are on the way to an exhibition which showcases strides made in the world of technology.@netanyahupic.twitter.com/gcbivevcXT

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 25, 2026

Earlier in the day, the Israeli Parliament conferred the ‘Speaker of the Knesset Medal’ on PM Modi after his address, making him the first leader to receive the honour. The award recognised his personal leadership in strengthening strategic ties between India and Israel.

In his speech at the Knesset, Modi said there is great admiration in India for Israel’s resolve, courage and achievements. He emphasised that people-to-people connections remain at the core of the India-Israel partnership. Following the address, he interacted with members of the Israeli Parliament, with several lawmakers taking selfies and photographs with him.

‘Car diplomacy’ as a diplomatic signal

The shared ride in Israel is the latest instance of what observers have described as PM Modi’s “car diplomacy,” an informal yet symbolic gesture aimed at projecting warmth and personal rapport during official engagements.

Just days earlier, on February 17, Modi travelled with French President Emmanuel Macron in the same car to attend the India-France Innovation Forum in Mumbai, a moment widely interpreted as a display of close bilateral ties.

In recent months, similar gestures have featured in meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

During the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin in September 2025, Modi and Putin were seen travelling together to a key bilateral meeting. In December, Modi personally received Putin at Palam Airport in New Delhi before the two drove together to his official residence.

The same month, during a visit to Jordan marking 75 years of diplomatic relations, Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II drove Modi to a museum in Amman. Modi was formally received on arrival by Jordan’s Prime Minister Jafar Hassan.

In Ethiopia, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali greeted Modi at the airport in Addis Ababa and personally drove him to his hotel.

In October 2025, after sharing a ride with Starmer, Modi remarked that India-UK ties were “on the move” and “filled with great vigour,” reinforcing the symbolic messaging behind such gestures.

As India deepens strategic partnerships across regions, from West Asia to Europe and Africa, Modi’s informal, high-visibility interactions with world leaders have become a distinctive feature of his diplomatic playbook.