Car Diplomacy…After the King of Jordan, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia became PM Modi’s driver, drives his own car

New Delhi:In recent times, a new and interesting diplomatic style is being seen in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign trips, which is now being called ‘Car Diplomacy’. What started with his rare car trip with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit has now reached Africa. After Jordan, now Prime Minister Modi has received such extraordinary personal honor in Ethiopia also.

Historic welcome in Addis Ababa

Ethiopian Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner Abiy Ahmed personally welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Addis Ababa International Airport on Tuesday. Not only this, he took PM Modi in his car to the hotel. On the way, both the leaders stopped at the Science Museum and Friendship Park and held talks without any pre-planned programme. This scene is considered a symbol of personal and trustful relations, apart from the usual diplomatic formalities.

Prime Minister Modi is on a two-day state visit to Ethiopia and this is his first visit to the East African country. This welcome is being seen as a sign of new warmth in India-Ethiopia relations.

Emerging trend of personal diplomacy

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while sharing the meeting on social media, said that it is a celebration of the age-old relations between India and Ethiopia. He said that Ethiopia is an important partner of India in the global south and a member of the BRICS group. During this visit, all aspects of political, economic and strategic cooperation between the two countries will be discussed.

Experts believe that this is the style of PM Modi, where importance is given to personal communication along with formal meetings. Strengthening India’s soft power.

Parliament address and African partnership

During this visit, Prime Minister Modi will address the joint session of the Ethiopian Parliament. In his speech, he will emphasize the benefits to Africa and the Global South from the India-Ethiopia partnership, describing India as the mother of democracy. Apart from this, he will also meet the Indian expatriate community.

Addis Ababa is considered very important from strategic point of view for India. India’s role in making the African Union a permanent member during India’s G20 presidency in 2023 had further strengthened this relationship.

Diplomatic visit from Jordan to Ethiopia

Before reaching Ethiopia, Prime Minister Modi was on a visit to Jordan, where Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II honored him by taking him in his own car to the Jordan Museum in Amman. Several agreements were also signed between India and Jordan in areas like culture, renewable energy, water management and digital infrastructure. After Ethiopia, Prime Minister Modi will visit Oman on the last leg of his three-nation tour.

new diplomatic identity

This ‘car diplomacy’, which is seen continuously in different countries like China, Russia, Jordan and now Ethiopia, is becoming the new identity of Prime Minister Modi’s diplomatic style. It not only adds a human touch to formal relationships, but also establishes India as a reliable and influential partner on the global stage.