Jordan's Crown Prince, a 42nd-gen descendant of the Prophet, personally drove PM Modi in Amman. The viral "car diplomacy" moment signals deep India-Jordan ties.
Sseema Giill
In a powerful break from diplomatic protocol, Jordan's Crown Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II personally chauffeured Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the streets of Amman on December 16, 2025. The destination was the Jordan Museum, but the journey itself became the message. The Crown Prince, revered in the Islamic world as the 42nd-generation direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad, took the wheel of his private white BMW, offering a visual of intimacy and high-level respect that has resonated across the Middle East and India.
This episode marks the latest instance of what analysts are calling "Car Diplomacy." It comes just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin drove PM Modi during a summit in Delhi on December 5. Modi arrived in Amman on December 15 for the first leg of a three-nation tour that includes Ethiopia and Oman. The visit aims to recalibrate ties with the Global South and the Arab world amidst shifting regional dynamics in the Red Sea.
While headlines focus on the "Prophet's descendant" angle, the deeper story is "Digital Integration." During the business forum that preceded the drive, the conversation centered on exporting India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). The car ride was the symbol of trust needed to close the deal on integrating India's UPI and digital stack into Jordan's banking and governance systems. This isn't just about a car ride; it's about Jordan becoming a node in India's digital diplomatic network, bridging the gap between Indian fintech and the Arab market.
The visual of a Hindu nationalist leader being driven by the Prophet's descendant provides a potent counter-narrative to criticisms regarding India's relationship with its minority communities. Strategically, Jordan serves as a voice of moderation in the Islamic world; this partnership bolsters India's soft power in the Gulf. Furthermore, the focus on the Red Sea during the visit suggests India is seeking reliable security partners to protect trade routes that have become increasingly volatile.
If diplomacy is moving from boardrooms to the front seat of a car, is personal chemistry now the primary currency of geopolitics?
Who is the Prophet's descendant that drove PM Modi in Jordan? The driver was Crown Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II of Jordan. He is the heir apparent to the Jordanian throne and is widely recognized as the 42nd-generation direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad through the Hashemite dynasty.
Why did the Crown Prince of Jordan drive PM Modi personally? The gesture is being described as a "special mark of respect" and a symbol of personal warmth between the two nations. It breaks from standard diplomatic protocol to demonstrate a close, personal partnership, following a similar gesture by Vladimir Putin earlier in the month.
What was the purpose of PM Modi's visit to Jordan in December 2025? PM Modi visited Jordan as part of a three-nation tour to strengthen ties with the Middle East and Global South. Key outcomes included setting a bilateral trade target of $5 billion and discussing the export of India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to Jordan.
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