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In a unambiguous statement to the West, President Vladimir Putin stated to PM Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to provide “uninterrupted” supplies of oil to India. This declaration came when Putin and Modi met in the Indian capital and affirmed their relationship were “resilient to outside influence.”

A Statement Directed at the West

This affirmation, issued after the annual summit, seemed to be a direct challenge at western countries, that have repeatedly attempted to urge New Delhi into scaling back its historical links with Moscow. This comes comes after previous US actions, notably the introduction of import duties against Indian goods because of its acquisition of Moscow's energy exports.

“Russia is a dependable supplier of energy resources and all required for the growth of India’s industry,” the Russian president remarked. “Moscow stands willing to keep guaranteeing the uninterrupted flow of resources for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, without mentioning oil explicitly, supported the focus by stating that “secure fuel supplies has been a robust and vital cornerstone of the bilateral alliance.”

Questioning American Pressure

Prior to the meeting, during a television interview, Putin had criticized Washington's stance over India's dealings with Russia. The president questioned, “If the US is entitled to buy our nuclear fuel, then why can't India claim the same privilege?”

The visit marked his maiden journey to India following the onset of the war in Ukraine, and both sides undertook a visible effort to project that the bond between the two leaders was undisturbed.

A Warm Reception

Employing an unusual move, the Indian PM met Putin upon his arrival. The two shared a warm hug akin to old friends before having a closed-door supper the night before the summit.

Modi later described India's alliance with Russia as “a lodestar” and added it was “based on shared respect and deep trust.”

Strengthening Defence and Economic Cooperation

Friday's talks resulted in a number of important deals regarding military and financial collaboration. A major outcome was the signing of an economic cooperation programme extending until 2030, which targets to increase twofold commerce to a hundred billion USD per year by the 2030 deadline.

The leaders also pledged to recalibrate their defence ties. While Russia remains India's largest supplier of weapons, the volume has diminished in recent years as India works to widen its procurement.

The official release highlighted an agreement on the co-development of sophisticated defence platforms, though explicit details of systems like the Su-57 fighter jet were omitted.

Ultimately, Moscow and Delhi affirmed that amid the “present intricate, difficult, and uncertain global landscape, Russian-Indian ties stay resilient to outside forces.”