The Hongqi N701: Xi Jinping's armoured limousine that will be driving him around in Delhi
· World · Times of India, Hindustan Times
Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel in the heavily armoured Hongqi N701 state limousine during his visit to New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit, following an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The bespoke vehicle, built exclusively for China’s top leadership, features bulletproof glass, reinforced armour plating, and an air-compression system to guard against chemical attacks, with a 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 408 hp. Only around 50 units of this model are expected to be produced over the next decade, reserved for official state duties. The N701, stretching roughly 5.5 metres, shares design lineage with Hongqi’s L5 limousine, which was also used during Prime Minister Modi’s 2025 visit to China. Its presence underscores China’s emphasis on high-security protocols for its leadership during international engagements.
Why it matters
The deployment of the Hongqi N701 reflects China’s heightened security measures for high-profile diplomatic visits, signalling the importance of Xi Jinping’s attendance at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. For India, this highlights the scale of security coordination required for such summits and the symbolic weight of state vehicles in diplomatic relations.
Read the original report — Times of India
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