Indian prime minister Narendra Modi is known to be a tech-savvy leader. On Saturday (1), the world remained witness to another moment when the leader tried his hand at technology by test-driving a car in Europe, sitting in New Delhi, to mark the launch of 5G mobile services in his country.
Modi, 72, flagged off the service as he attended the opening of India Mobile Congress 2022. He used the 5G technology to drive at the Ericsson booth at the conference while the vehicle moved around in Sweden. The technology helped in connecting the car's control located in India.
Indian commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal tweeted a photo of the prime minister sitting behind the steering wheel of the car remote controlled from another continent, saying, "@NarendraModi ji tests driving a car in Europe remotely from Delhi using India's 5G technology." He also said, "India driving the world".
The India Mobile Congress is one of Asia's biggest digital technology platforms. The latest event is its sixth edition which kicked off at Pragati Maidan in the Indian capital on Saturday and will continue till Tuesday (4).
Besides driving the car remotely, Modi also saw various technological innovations that are being showcased at the event.
The 5G technology is expected to come with much faster speed than 4G for mobile communication and data transmission.
The first phase of 5G will launch in 13 cities and its full coverage in India is likely to be completed by 2024.
This photograph taken on April 28, 2026 shows a boy getting "thali", a sacred thread tied to his neck symbolising marriage to Hindu warrior god Aravan during the annual Koovagam transgender festival at the Koothandavar temple in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district. For a few fleeting days each year, at the heart of the Koothandavar Temple where ostracised transgender community members from across India come to honour the Hindu deity Aravan, a tradition rooted in millennia-old Hindu texts -- and to enjoy a brief oasis of freedom.Getty Images
This photograph taken on April 29, 2026 shows a member of the transgender community mourning as a priest cuts the "thali", a sacred thread symbolising end of her marriage to Hindu warrior god Aravan during the annual Koovagam transgender festival at the Koothandavar temple in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district. For a few fleeting days each year, at the heart of the Koothandavar Temple where ostracised transgender community members from across India come to honour the Hindu deity Aravan, a tradition rooted in millennia-old Hindu texts -- and to enjoy a brief oasis of freedom. Getty Images
