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In a clear message to Western nations, President Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to provide “uninterrupted” supplies of oil to India. This declaration came as the two leaders met in New Delhi and affirmed their relationship were “resistant to foreign coercion.”

A Signal Directed at the United States

Putin's comments, made on Friday, seemed to be targeted at western countries, which have repeatedly attempted to compel New Delhi into curtailing its longstanding ties with Moscow. The backdrop is in response to recent American measures, notably additional tariffs against Indian goods because of its purchase of Moscow's energy exports.

“Moscow remains a trustworthy exporter of fuel and anything needed for the advancement of India’s industry,” he remarked. “We are ready to persist in securing the steady delivery of fuel for the booming Indian economy.”

Modi, without referencing crude explicitly, supported the sentiment by noting that “energy security has been a strong and crucial cornerstone of the bilateral partnership.”

Challenging American Pressure

Prior to the meeting, in a television interview, Putin had criticized Washington's stance on India's dealings with Russia. The president questioned, “When Washington can claim the privilege to buy our atomic materials, how can you deny India have the same privilege?”

Putin's arrival was his maiden journey to India after the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi undertook a deliberate attempt to display that the bond between the heads of state remained intact.

An Unusual Welcome

Employing an unusual gesture, Prime Minister Modi personally greeted Putin upon his arrival. The two shared a warm hug akin to old friends before having a private dinner on Thursday evening.

Modi in his statement called India's partnership with Russia as “a beacon” and added it was “founded on shared respect and deep trust.”

Expanding Bilateral Cooperation

The bilateral summit yielded several key agreements across military and financial collaboration. A major outcome was the completion of an joint economic plan aimed at 2030, which sets a goal to boost commerce to a hundred billion USD annually by the 2030 deadline.

Additionally pledged to restructure their defence ties. Even as Russia continues to be India's largest supplier of arms, the volume has declined in recent years as India works to broaden its procurement.

The official release stressed an agreement on the co-development of sophisticated weapons platforms, even if specific mention of deals for the Sukhoi Su-57 were not made.

Overall, Russia and India reiterated that in the “current complex, difficult, and unpredictable international environment, Russian-Indian ties remain resilient to external pressure.”