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During a clear message to the West, President Vladimir Putin informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to provide “continuous” deliveries of crude oil to India. This declaration came during a summit where both heads of state met in New Delhi and affirmed their relationship were “resilient to foreign coercion.”

A Signal Directed at the Western Countries

Putin's comments, issued after the annual summit, was widely seen to be a pointed rebuke at the United States and its allies, that have repeatedly attempted to compel New Delhi into curtailing its historical links with Moscow. This comes comes after recent Washington's moves, such as additional trade penalties on India over its acquisition of Russian oil.

“Moscow remains a trustworthy exporter of fuel and anything needed for the development of India’s energy sector,” he remarked. “We are ready to persist in securing the steady delivery of resources for the booming Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, though he did not naming energy specifically, supported the focus by noting that “secure fuel supplies has been a robust and important foundation of the bilateral partnership.”

Questioning US Interference

In the lead-up to the meeting, in a television interview, Putin had questioned American pressure on India's energy purchases. The president questioned, “If the US can claim the privilege to buy our uranium, then why can't India enjoy the same privilege?”

The visit marked his initial visit to India after the beginning of the situation in Ukraine, and both sides undertook a clear effort to demonstrate that the bond between the heads of state remained intact.

An Unusual Welcome

Taking an rare move, the Indian PM met Putin upon his arrival. The two embraced warmly akin to longtime companions before holding a private dinner on Thursday evening.

He referred to India's relationship with Russia as “a lodestar” and said it was “based on reciprocal esteem and profound confidence.”

Strengthening Defence and Economic Partnerships

The bilateral summit produced multiple important deals regarding military and trade relations. A cornerstone agreement was the signing of an economic cooperation programme aimed at 2030, which targets to increase twofold bilateral trade to $100bn annually by the target year.

Additionally pledged to recalibrate their military partnership. While Russia is still India's primary supplier of defence equipment, this role has diminished in recent years as India has sought widen its sources.

The official release stressed cooperation in the co-development of advanced weapons platforms, though specific reference of deals for the Sukhoi Su-57 were left out.

Overall, both nations restated that during the “present intricate, difficult, and volatile global landscape, Russian-Indian ties continue to be durable to outside forces.”