Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin have done it again.After holding bilateral talks at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Friday, the two leaders climbed into the same car for a short ride to the INNOPROM industrial exhibition at the sprawling convention complex — the latest in a series of shared rides that has become an unusual feature of their diplomatic encounters.It was the fourth time in roughly a year that Modi and Putin have travelled together in the same car, according to the Times of India, following similar journeys in Tianjin, New Delhi and, just weeks ago, Bishkek.Tianjin: A conversation that continued in the carThe first of the recent shared journeys came in September 2025, when Modi and Putin met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, China.After the summit proceedings, Putin offered Modi a ride in his Russian-made Aurus limousine as they travelled to the venue for their bilateral meeting.Reuters reported at the time that the two leaders travelled together in Putin’s armoured Aurus, in another display of the close relationship between India and Russia.According to the Times of India, Putin waited for around 10 minutes for Modi so that the two could travel together.What was supposed to be a journey between venues turned into an extended private conversation.The Times of India reported that their conversation continued in the vehicle for nearly an hour before they went into their formal bilateral meeting.Putin later said the decision to travel together had been his idea, describing the gesture as a symbol of friendship between the two leaders.Delhi: Modi meets Putin at the airportThree months later, the roles were reversed.When Putin arrived in New Delhi for a state visit on December 4, 2025, Modi personally received him at Palam airport.The two leaders hugged and greeted each other before leaving the airport together in the same vehicle.The Indian Express reported that Modi and Putin “carpooled” from the airport, talking and sharing laughs during the journey.This time they travelled in a white Toyota Fortuner rather than Putin’s Aurus limousine.India Today reported that Modi set aside his usual vehicle and travelled with Putin from Palam airport to the prime minister’s residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, where the two leaders had a private dinner.Putin’s Aurus was part of the convoy but followed the Fortuner carrying the two leaders.Bishkek: Together againThe shared rides continued less than two weeks ago in Kyrgyzstan.Following bilateral talks on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek on August 31, Modi and Putin travelled together to the opening ceremony of the sixth World Nomad Games at Bishkek Arena.ANI reported that the two leaders travelled in the same car in what it described as a gesture reflecting the warmth of India-Russia ties.India Today reported that they travelled in Putin’s official Aurus Senat limousine after completing their bilateral meeting.The ride followed talks during which Modi urged Putin to work towards ending the war in Ukraine, saying the world needed to move from “endless war to the end of war”.Fourth ride in DelhiFriday brought another instalment in the increasingly familiar routine.After bilateral talks at Bharat Mandapam ahead of the BRICS summit, Modi and Putin again travelled together, this time heading to the INNOPROM exhibition.ANI reported that the exhibition featured in their discussions as India and Russia seek to expand industrial cooperation.The talks also covered bilateral trade, with the two countries aiming for trade worth $100 billion by 2030, according to ANI sources.Modi also presented Putin with a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, the classical Tamil work by poet-philosopher Thiruvalluvar.“Two thousand years ago, Thiruvalluvar wrote the Thirukkural. It includes the entire gamut of human life. It has been translated into the Russian language,” Modi told Putin.“I am confident that the people-to-people contact will increase with the translation of the Thirukkural into Russian, which will play a big role in strengthening our relations,” he added.