Heads turned on Friday as Prime Minister Modi and Vladimir Putin shared a ride in the Russian President’s heavily guarded Aurus Senat limousine on Delhi roads.After their bilateral meeting, the two leaders travelled in the “fortress on wheels” to another venue within Bharat Mandapam, which is hosting INNOPROM, the international industrial exhibition showcasing global manufacturers.This was the third time in recent years that the two leaders made a statement of friendship away from the usual diplomatic settings around high tables.The last time Modi rode in the Russian presidential limousine was after the SCO meeting in Bishkek. Before that, visuals of him and Putin travelling in the vehicle on the sidelines of the SCO meeting in Tianjin, China, in September 2025 had gone viral.Putin’s Aurus Senat has long attracted attention for being much more than a luxury limousine. The Russian President prefers to use his own vehicle during overseas visits, and it forms an integral part of his extensive security arrangements because of the high threat perception he faces.Produced by Russian automaker Aurus Motors, the Aurus Senat is designed to withstand major security threats, including ballistic attacks and blasts.The vehicle emerged from Russia’s Kortezh project, a programme launched to develop domestically built luxury and armoured vehicles for senior government officials.Aurus Motors manufactures the vehicle in collaboration with the state-owned research institute NAMI and other partners. Its design draws inspiration from the Kortezh project and the ZIS-110 limousine of the 1940s.A civilian version of the Senat is also produced, although in limited numbers, and is priced at around Rs 2.5 crore.The presidential limousine, however, features significantly enhanced armour and security specifications, details of which remain closely guarded.While the exact specifications of the presidential Senat remain classified, the limousine is known to feature extensive ballistic protection and blast-resistant construction.According to details available in the public domain, the car is powered by a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine paired with a hybrid system, producing about 598 hp and 880 Nm of torque. It uses a nine-speed automatic transmission.The Senat measures about 5.63 metres in length, 2 metres in width and 1.7 metres in height, with a wheelbase of 3.3 metres. Its reported top speed is around 160 kmph, while it can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in about nine seconds.Beyond its armour, it incorporates modern driving and safety systems, including adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, traction control and advanced braking technology.The vehicle is also designed to operate in extreme weather conditions and across a wide range of climates.