Putin in Delhi: 5 layers of security, Russian commandos, AI tech — and a fortress on wheels
Security layers activate from touchdown; control rooms to track cavalcade
Dubai: Delhi is being turned into a fortress ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s arrival, with everything from elite Russian commandos and India’s National Security Guard to snipers, drones, jammers and AI-powered surveillance forming a five-layer protective ring around him, Indian media reports said.
Putin is expected to land in the capital on Thursday evening for the India–Russia Annual Summit at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sources told NDTV that the Russian leader will have dinner with the Prime Minister and receive a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday morning, followed by a visit to Raj Ghat, meetings at Hyderabad House, and an event at Bharat Mandapam. A state banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu is also on the schedule.
A security machine already on the ground
Over four dozen specialists from Russia’s Presidential Security Service have already arrived in Delhi and are working with Delhi Police and the NSG to sanitise every road, building and choke point that Putin’s cavalcade may pass through. According to sources, every segment of his movement is being mapped, simulated and monitored.
And at the heart of that web is a vehicle Putin trusts more than anything else.
Putin’s Fortress on Wheels — The Aurus Senat
Flown in from Moscow wherever Putin travels abroad
Often described as a “moving bunker”
Fully armoured luxury state limousine built for the Kremlin
Can withstand explosives, sniper fire and chemical attacks
Air-tight cabin with independent oxygen supply
Part of Russia’s “Kortezh” programme to build state-use security vehicles
Putin rode with PM Modi in the same Senat during the SCO summit earlier this year
Quick specs (publicly known):
Built by Aurus Motors
Introduced in 2018
Run-flat tyres, fire suppression system, encrypted communications
Looks like a limousine, performs like a tank disguised as a sedan
Dedicated control rooms fitted with AI surveillance feeds, facial recognition cameras and encrypted radio traffic will track Putin’s movements in real time. Specialised drones will hover above convoy routes, while multiple sniper teams will occupy rooftops and high vantage points.
Officials said the five-layer security protocol will activate the moment Putin’s aircraft lands. The outer perimeter will be guarded by Delhi Police, the mid-layer by NSG units, and the inner circle by Russian agents. When he is alongside Prime Minister Modi, India’s Special Protection Group will integrate with the innermost ring — one of the rare occasions where elite security forces from two nations overlap in a single protective bubble.
Nothing left to chance
The hotel where Putin is staying has been repeatedly swept for security, while Russian teams have pre-cleared every venue on his itinerary. Officials have even drawn up a list of possible impromptu stops, with each spot already being scanned and secured in advance.
A senior official described the security cover as “a moving web of surveillance that never loses sight of the principal.”
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