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In a clear message to the West, President Vladimir Putin stated to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to guarantee “uninterrupted” shipments of crude oil to India. The announcement came when Putin and Modi met in New Delhi and affirmed their bilateral ties were “resistant to foreign coercion.”

A Statement Directed at the United States

This affirmation, delivered Friday, was widely seen to be a pointed rebuke at the United States and its allies, that have repeatedly attempted to urge New Delhi into scaling back its longstanding relations with Moscow. This comes follows previous American measures, including additional import duties targeting New Delhi over its purchase of Russian oil.

“Russia is a reliable supplier of fuel and all necessary for the growth of India’s energy sector,” the Russian president said. “We are ready to persist in ensuring the consistent delivery of energy for the booming Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, though he did not referencing crude specifically, supported the sentiment by stating that “secure fuel supplies has been a robust and important cornerstone of the bilateral alliance.”

Defying US Interference

In the lead-up to the talks, in a television interview, Putin had questioned American pressure regarding India's dealings with Russia. He argued, “Should America is entitled to buy our atomic materials, why shouldn’t India have the same privilege?”

Putin's arrival marked his first trip to India following the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, and the two nations engaged in a visible attempt to demonstrate that the friendship between the heads of state remained intact.

A Warm Welcome

In a rare step, the Indian PM met Putin as he disembarked. They exchanged a hearty embrace like close allies before holding a private dinner the night before the summit.

He later described India's alliance with Russia as “a beacon” and added it was “built on reciprocal esteem and strong faith.”

Expanding Bilateral Partnerships

The bilateral summit resulted in several key agreements across military and trade relations. A major outcome was the signing of an economic cooperation programme aimed at 2030, which targets to boost bilateral trade to $100bn each year by the 2030 deadline.

Furthermore pledged to reshape their strategic cooperation. Even as Russia remains India's largest source of arms, its share has declined in recent years as India has sought widen its supply base.

The joint statement highlighted cooperation in the joint production of cutting-edge weapons platforms, even if explicit details of systems like the Su-57 fighter jet were not made.

Ultimately, Moscow and Delhi affirmed that during the “current complex, strained, and uncertain global landscape, the Indo-Russian partnership stay resilient to foreign influence.”