It’s been two days since the images of Modi and President Putin seated together in the latter’s limousine hit the internet … and the buzz continues.
On Weibo (China’s equivalent of X) the hashtag #Modi took Putin’s special car to the meeting, garnered nearly three million views and inspired over 200 articles across platforms like Zhihu, Wechat, Netease, and Weibo.
A Chinese podcast (screenshot attached below) asked the question, “On Chinese soil, Modi got into Putin’s car, where the two held a private talk for nearly an hour, worried that walls might have ears?”
It hinted at something Chinese probably face in their daily lives, the fear of being spied upon by the government’s oppressive surveillance apparatus. That the Modi-Putin ride lasted over 40 minutes with Modi later remarking that it was “insightful”, added grist to the Weibo mill.
Chinese social media platform Zhihu, claimed that Modi’s action was without any prior invitation. He simply got into Putin’s car and the two proceeded together to their talks.
Another verified Weibo account with more than a million followers made a meme from the viral photo of Modi and Putin in the same car. The post showed a made-up conversation where Modi asks Putin how his talks in Alaska went and if there will be a ceasefire. Putin tells him not to worry, and promises a ceasefire soon.
Modi then asks for a bigger discount (on oil) in the future, whilch seems to leave Putin speechless. The exchange spread quickly online. Among the flood of reactions, one comment stood out: “What was Lao Chuan’s mood after watching this?” Lao Chuan meaning “Old Trump,” a nickname for the US president on Chinese Social media platforms.
Another verified Weibo blogger, posting under the handle Zhaolishuoshi and followed by more than half a million users, shared a report with the caption: “Putin follows Trump’s example, riding in the same car with Modi. Russia–India friendship is unbreakable, leaving the United States dumbfounded.” The post drew a parallel to Donald Trump’s earlier rides with Modi first at the “Howdy, Modi” event in Houston in 2019, and later during the “Namaste Trump” visit in Ahmedabad in 2020.
On the same Weibo handle Shenzhen Satellite TV posted on Weibo that such ‘hitchhiking diplomacy’ between leaders is extremely rare, which was factually inaccurate. This was the second time in half a month that Putin shared a car with a foreign leader. The previous instance was on 15 August in Anchorage, Alaska, when he got into US President Donald Trump’s car and held a one-on-one conversation without interpreters.
Research Associate at StratNewsGlobal, A keen observer of #China and Foreign Affairs. Writer, Weibo Trends, Analyst.
Twitter: @resham_sng
