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Amid a clear statement to the West, President Vladimir Putin informed PM Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to provide “continuous” supplies of crude oil to India. These remarks came during a summit where both heads of state met in New Delhi and affirmed their partnership were “resistant to foreign coercion.”

A Message For the Western Countries

This affirmation, delivered Friday, seemed to be a pointed rebuke at Washington, which have repeatedly attempted to compel New Delhi into curtailing its longstanding links with Moscow. The context is in response to previous American measures, such as the imposition of import duties targeting New Delhi due to its acquisition of Russian oil.

“Our nation is a reliable source of fuel and anything required for the advancement of India’s economy,” the Russian president remarked. “Moscow stands willing to keep guaranteeing the uninterrupted supply of fuel for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, though he did not naming energy directly, supported the theme by noting that “energy security has been a strong and important pillar of the India-Russia cooperation.”

Challenging US Interference

Before the summit, during a television interview, Putin had challenged US interference on India's dealings with Russia. The president questioned, “If the US is entitled to buy our uranium, why shouldn’t India have the identical right?”

The visit marked his first journey to India since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and both sides made a visible attempt to project that the personal rapport between the men was undisturbed.

A Personal Welcome

In a notable gesture, Prime Minister Modi personally greeted Putin upon his arrival. They shared a warm hug like longtime companions before having a closed-door supper on Thursday evening.

The Indian prime minister later described India's relationship with Russia as “a guiding star” and noted it was “founded on mutual respect and deep trust.”

Expanding Strategic Partnerships

The meeting produced a number of key agreements in the fields of defence and trade relations. A major outcome was the finalization of an joint economic plan aimed at 2030, which targets to double commerce to one hundred billion dollars per year by the target year.

The leaders also vowed to recalibrate their defence ties. While Russia continues to be India's largest supplier of weapons, this role has declined over the past decade as India works to broaden its sources.

Their communique stressed plans for the collaborative manufacturing of sophisticated weapons platforms, although specific reference of deals for the Su-57 fighter jet were left out.

Ultimately, Russia and India restated that in the “current complex, tense, and volatile global landscape, the Indo-Russian partnership stay strong to foreign influence.”