Global leaders arriving in New Delhi for the BRICS Summit have brought with them not only their diplomatic agendas but also their armoured symbols of power, FirstPost reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin travelled with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Aurus Senat limousine, while Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to use his Hongqi N701, both vehicles representing national prestige and advanced protection.

Putin’s Aurus Senat is one of the world’s most secretive and heavily reinforced vehicles. It first appeared during his fourth inauguration in 2018, replacing the Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard Pullman. Built by Aurus Motors, the name combines ‘Au’ from Aurum, Latin for gold, and ‘Rus’ for Russia.

The current L700 Limousine version is often called the Russian Rolls-Royce, blending features of Rolls-Royce and Bentley while prioritising safety.

The Senat is part of Russia’s ‘Kortezh’ series. Its standard model has a 4.4 L twin-turbo V8 engine producing about 598 hp, paired with a 9-speed automatic gearbox. A V12 hybrid version has also been developed.

The car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in nearly 6 seconds and reaches a top speed of around 249 km/h. 

It is designed as a moving fortress, capable of resisting armour-piercing bullets and grenade blasts. Reinforced glass 6 cm thick, run-flat tyres, emergency exits, and protection standards approved by Russia’s Federal Protective Service make it formidable.

Measuring about 7 metres and weighing several tons, the limousine includes advanced systems such as extra oxygen supply against chemical attacks, a fire suppression unit, and a mini command centre. Its armour meets VR10 ballistic standards and is made of composite materials.

The Senat has also played a role in diplomacy, with one gifted to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2024. A civilian edition exists, limited to 120 units annually, each priced at around ₹2.5 crore. Aurus Motors plans to expand the Kortezh line with SUVs and vans.

Xi Jinping’s Hongqi N701 carries equal symbolic weight. Hongqi, meaning ‘Red Flag’ in Mandarin, was launched in 1958 by the state-owned First Automotive Works as the official car for Communist Party elites.

For decades, Hongqi represented prestige and authority, reserved for leaders and dignitaries. Its flagship model, the Hongqi L5, is among the most expensive vehicles ever made in China, priced at around ₹6.6 crore. Stretching over 5.5 metres and weighing 3.1 tons, the L5 features a powerful V12 engine, armoured protection, and interiors lined with leather, handcrafted wood, and secure communication systems.

During Mao Zedong’s era, Hongqi cars were hand-built in small numbers for political events. However, the brand declined in the 1980s as imported luxury cars entered China. Its revival began in the 2000s, with Beijing promoting homegrown products as symbols of national pride.

Xi Jinping made Hongqi central to this effort, emphasising that Chinese leaders should travel in domestically produced cars. In a 2012 speech, he stated, “It doesn’t look right to sit in a foreign car. Lots of foreign leaders use limousines of their own country, unless there isn’t one.”

The Aurus Senat and Hongqi N701 thus represent more than transport. They are extensions of national identity, technological prowess, and political symbolism.

Their presence on Delhi’s roads during the BRICS Summit underscores the blend of diplomacy and car-diplomacy, where vehicles themselves become instruments of soft power.

Agencies