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In a clear signal to the West, President Vladimir Putin stated to PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to maintain “continuous” supplies of oil to India. The announcement came as the two leaders met in New Delhi and declared their bilateral ties were “resilient to external pressure.”

A Message Directed at the West

This affirmation, delivered Friday, appeared to be a direct challenge at western countries, which have repeatedly attempted to urge New Delhi into reducing its historical links with Moscow. This comes comes after recent American measures, including the imposition of trade penalties on India due to its buying of Russian oil.

“Russia is a dependable exporter of energy resources and all necessary for the advancement of India’s industry,” Putin stated. “We are ready to persist in ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of fuel for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Modi, while not naming energy specifically, reinforced the sentiment by stating that “a stable energy base has been a key and important cornerstone of the India-Russia cooperation.”

Defying Washington's Stance

Prior to the summit, via a television interview, Putin had criticized Washington's stance on India's dealings with Russia. He argued, “When Washington is entitled to buy our uranium, then why can't India enjoy the equivalent access?”

This trip was his first visit to India since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi engaged in a visible effort to project that the bond between the men was undisturbed.

An Unusual Greeting

Employing an unusual move, Prime Minister Modi welcomed directly Putin right off the plane. The two embraced warmly as close allies before enjoying a private dinner on Thursday evening.

He referred to India's relationship with Russia as “a beacon” and noted it was “based on reciprocal esteem and deep trust.”

Expanding Strategic Cooperation

The meeting produced several important deals across defence and economic cooperation. A cornerstone agreement was the finalization of an economic cooperation programme aimed at 2030, which targets to double commerce to a hundred billion USD each year by the 2030 deadline.

The leaders also vowed to reshape their strategic cooperation. Although Russia continues to be India's primary source of arms, the volume has declined in recent years as India has sought diversify its supply base.

The official release highlighted cooperation in the co-development of sophisticated weapons platforms, though direct mention of deals for the Sukhoi Su-57 were not made.

Ultimately, Moscow and Delhi restated that during the “ongoing challenging, strained, and uncertain geopolitical situation, the Indo-Russian partnership stay durable to foreign influence.”