Putin’s India Visit: As Russian President Vladimir Putin begins his visit to India this evening, attention has shifted to his “magical” car, which is set to make an appearance on Indian roads. Along with the five-layered security around him, this powerful vehicle will serve as an added shield for one of India’s most talked-about global leaders. This is the same car in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled with Putin during their meeting in China for the SCO Summit.
Putin’s Aurus Senat
The Aurus Senat, a heavily armoured, custom-built state limousine, will be flown in from Moscow. This 7-tonne “fortress on wheels” is the core of his five-layer security ring. It was made under Russia’s Cortage project, which began in 2013- a product formed after Putin insisted that Russia should have a home-grown presidential car. Production started in 2018, and the model has since become the official state vehicle for the Russian presidency.
The Aurus Senat has become Putin’s primary presidential limousine, replacing the Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard Pullman that was previously used for state visits. This means that for official trips and important events, the Aurus Senat is now the car the Russian President relies on.
The Senat is often compared to the Rolls-Royce Phantom for its styling and strong, block-like presence. Wherever the President of Russia travels, the car is transported along with him. The Aurus has replaced imported cars in official ceremonies and has become a symbol of Russian engineering.
Price of Aurus Senate
The price starts at around 18 million rubles (around $2.5 crore INR), but the fully armoured state version used by Putin is significantly more expensive and not available for public sale.
