PM Modi Shares Car Ride During Malaysia Visit 2026

PM Modi Shares Car Ride During Malaysia Visit 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day official visit to Malaysia on 5–6 February 2026 concluded with an informal yet widely shared moment that captured global attention. On the evening of 6 February, after bilateral talks and a community reception in Kuala Lumpur, PM Modi accepted an invitation from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for a short car ride through the city’s illuminated streets. The 18-minute drive from the Perdana Putra complex to the Bukit Jalil National Stadium area—where a large Indian diaspora gathering was organised—became an impromptu people-connect moment that quickly went viral across social media platforms.

The Prime Minister later shared a short video clip and photographs from inside the car on his official X handle, Instagram and the NaMo App, captioning it: “A short ride with my friend PM @anwaribrahim through the beautiful streets of Kuala Lumpur. Grateful for the warmth and hospitality of the Malaysian people. India–Malaysia friendship continues to grow stronger.”

The post received over 2.8 million views and 1.4 lakh likes within the first 12 hours, reflecting the public’s interest in such unscripted, humanising glimpses of high-level diplomacy.

The Context of the Visit

PM Modi’s visit to Malaysia was the first bilateral prime-ministerial engagement since Anwar Ibrahim returned to power in November 2022. The trip had three main pillars:

• Strengthening economic and trade ties (bilateral trade reached US$19.2 billion in 2025)
• Deepening defence and maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific
• Enhancing cultural and diaspora connectivity (approximately 2.1 million people of Indian origin live in Malaysia)

Key outcomes included:

• Signing of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Joint Declaration
• Agreement to fast-track negotiations for a bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)
• MoU between ISRO and MYSA (Malaysian Space Agency) for satellite data sharing and joint small-satellite development
• Defence cooperation roadmap focusing on maritime domain awareness, joint exercises and co-production of military equipment
• Commitment to increase annual tourist arrivals from Malaysia to India to 1 million by 2028

The Car Ride: What Happened

The car ride was not part of the original schedule. After the official banquet at Perdana Putra, PM Anwar suggested a brief drive through Kuala Lumpur’s city centre so that PM Modi could see the illuminated Petronas Towers, Merdeka Square and the bustling Bukit Bintang district. PM Modi readily agreed.

The two leaders travelled in a black Mercedes-Maybach S680 Guard, accompanied by a light security escort. Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar followed in a separate vehicle. During the ride:

• PM Anwar pointed out landmarks and shared anecdotes about Malaysia’s multicultural fabric
• PM Modi spoke about the deep historical and civilisational links between India and Southeast Asia
• Both leaders discussed cricket (Malaysia’s growing interest in the sport) and the popularity of Indian cinema in the country
• PM Modi waved to small crowds that had gathered near Jalan Tun Razak and Bukit Bintang after word spread on social media

A short clip shared by PM Modi shows both leaders smiling and conversing animatedly, with the Petronas Towers visible in the background. Another photograph captures PM Modi looking out at the city lights with PM Anwar gesturing toward the skyline.

Public and Media Reactions

The car-ride moment instantly became the most shared visual from the visit. Within hours:

• #ModiInKL and #ModiAnwarCarRide trended in India, Malaysia and several Southeast Asian countries
• Malaysian social-media users posted messages of appreciation: “Two leaders enjoying a simple car ride—shows real friendship between our nations.”
• Indian diaspora groups in Kuala Lumpur shared selfies taken near the motorcade route
• Several international media outlets (CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera) carried the clip with captions highlighting “personal chemistry” between the two prime ministers

In India the images were widely circulated on WhatsApp groups and family chats, with many users describing the scene as “refreshing” and “humanising” in an era of highly choreographed diplomacy.

Significance of the Informal Gesture

The car ride carried both symbolic and substantive weight:

• It underscored the personal rapport between PM Modi and PM Anwar, who have met multiple times since 2022 (G20 Bali, ASEAN–India Summit, G20 New Delhi, BRICS Johannesburg)
• It projected warmth and accessibility at a time when India is seeking deeper economic and strategic ties with ASEAN nations
• It countered narratives of formal, protocol-heavy diplomacy and reinforced PM Modi’s image as a leader who connects easily with people
• For Malaysia it highlighted the country’s multicultural harmony—PM Anwar deliberately chose a route passing through Little India (Brickfields) and Chinatown

Malaysian High Commissioner to India Dato’ Hidayat Abdul Hamid later tweeted: “A spontaneous drive through KL showcasing the warmth of Malaysia–India friendship. Two leaders, one vision—peace, progress and people-to-people ties.”

Diplomatic & Economic Context

The visit produced several concrete outcomes:

• Agreement to conclude CEPA negotiations by end-2026
• Commitment to increase bilateral trade from US$19.2 billion (2025) to US$30 billion by 2030
• Joint Working Group on semiconductor cooperation (Malaysia’s strength in assembly & testing + India’s design & fab ambitions)
• Defence cooperation roadmap focusing on maritime security, joint exercises and co-production of small arms & ammunition
• Cultural exchange programme expansion, including more Malaysian students under ICCR scholarships and Indian film festivals in Kuala Lumpur

The car ride, though informal, became the defining visual of a visit that otherwise focused on hard economic and strategic deliverables.

Conclusion: A Moment That Mattered

In an age of scripted diplomacy and tightly controlled photo-ops, the short car ride shared by PM Narendra Modi and PM Anwar Ibrahim on 6 February 2026 stood out for its spontaneity and authenticity. It reminded the world that statecraft is ultimately about relationships—between leaders, between nations and between peoples.

The image of two prime ministers enjoying a casual drive through Kuala Lumpur’s evening lights will likely endure longer than many formal joint statements. It symbolised warmth, mutual respect and a shared commitment to deepening one of Asia’s most important partnerships.

As India and Malaysia work toward the ambitious US$30 billion trade target by 2030 and closer maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, such human moments will continue to provide the emotional glue that holds strategic partnerships together.