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In a defiant message to Western nations, President Vladimir Putin stated to PM Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to provide “continuous” shipments of oil to India. These remarks came as the two leaders met in Delhi and asserted their bilateral ties were “resilient to foreign coercion.”

A Message For the Western Countries

This affirmation, issued after the annual summit, seemed to be a pointed rebuke at the United States and its allies, which have tried to compel New Delhi into reducing its longstanding ties with Moscow. This comes follows recent American measures, including the introduction of trade penalties on India because of its acquisition of Russian oil.

“Moscow remains a reliable source of fuel and all required for the advancement of India’s energy sector,” he stated. “We are ready to persist in ensuring the uninterrupted supply of energy for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Modi, though he did not mentioning oil explicitly, echoed the theme by noting that “energy security has been a robust and crucial foundation of the India-Russia alliance.”

Questioning American Pressure

Before the talks, in a television interview, Putin had questioned US interference regarding India's energy purchases. He argued, “Should America is entitled to buy our uranium, then why can't India have the equivalent access?”

The visit represented his first journey to India following the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, and both sides engaged in a deliberate show to demonstrate that the personal rapport between the men remained intact.

A Personal Welcome

In a notable move, Modi met Putin right off the plane. They embraced warmly as longtime companions before enjoying a private dinner on Thursday evening.

Modi referred to India's alliance with Russia as “a lodestar” and said it was “built on reciprocal esteem and profound confidence.”

Reaffirming Strategic Partnerships

Friday's talks yielded a number of significant pacts across defence and economic cooperation. One significant result was the finalization of an economic cooperation programme that runs to 2030, which sets a goal to double mutual trade to $100bn annually by the end of the decade.

The leaders also pledged to restructure their military partnership. Even as Russia continues to be India's biggest exporter of arms, the volume has diminished in recent years as India aims to diversify its sources.

The official release highlighted cooperation in the joint production of advanced military systems, though specific mention of deals for the Su-57 fighter jet were not made.

Overall, both nations restated that in the “current complex, strained, and volatile global landscape, the Indo-Russian partnership remain strong to outside forces.”