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Amid a defiant statement to Western nations, Leader Vladimir Putin informed PM Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to provide “uninterrupted” supplies of oil to India. The announcement came as the two leaders met in Delhi and asserted their relationship were “resilient to foreign coercion.”

A Statement For the West

This affirmation, made on Friday, appeared to be a pointed rebuke at western countries, that have sought to urge New Delhi into scaling back its longstanding ties with Moscow. The context follows previous Washington's moves, including the imposition of trade penalties on India over its buying of Moscow's energy exports.

“Russia is a reliable source of fuel and anything necessary for the growth of India’s economy,” Putin remarked. “Russia is prepared to persist in guaranteeing the consistent flow of fuel for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, though he did not naming energy explicitly, echoed the theme by noting that “secure fuel supplies has been a robust and important cornerstone of the Indo-Russian partnership.”

Questioning US Interference

In the lead-up to the summit, via a media interview, Putin had questioned American pressure regarding India's oil imports. The president questioned, “If the US can claim the privilege to buy our nuclear fuel, then why can't India enjoy the same privilege?”

Putin's arrival was his maiden trip to India since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi undertook a visible attempt to project that the friendship between the heads of state remained intact.

A Personal Greeting

Taking an notable step, the Indian PM welcomed directly Putin as he disembarked. They exchanged a hearty embrace as close allies before enjoying a private dinner on Thursday evening.

Modi later described India's alliance with Russia as “a lodestar” and said it was “built on reciprocal esteem and strong faith.”

Strengthening Defence and Economic Ties

The meeting yielded several key agreements regarding defence and trade relations. One significant result was the completion of an joint economic plan that runs to 2030, which targets to increase twofold mutual trade to one hundred billion dollars per year by the end of the decade.

The leaders also vowed to recalibrate their strategic cooperation. While Russia is still India's biggest supplier of weapons, this role has declined over the past decade as India works to diversify its procurement.

Their communique emphasized plans for the collaborative manufacturing of advanced military systems, although direct mention of purchases such as the fifth-generation aircraft were not made.

Ultimately, Russia and India affirmed that in the “present intricate, tense, and uncertain global landscape, their relationship stay resilient to foreign influence.”