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Amid a unambiguous statement to the United States, Leader Vladimir Putin stated to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to maintain “uninterrupted” supplies of crude oil to India. This declaration came during a summit where both heads of state met in the Indian capital and asserted their partnership were “resistant to outside influence.”

A Message Aimed at the West

Putin's comments, made on Friday, was widely seen to be targeted at western countries, which have sought to urge New Delhi into curtailing its longstanding relations with Moscow. The backdrop comes after earlier US actions, such as the imposition of trade penalties on India over its purchase of Moscow's energy exports.

“Moscow remains a trustworthy exporter of energy resources and anything required for the development of India’s industry,” Putin stated. “Russia is prepared to continue guaranteeing the consistent supply of resources for the booming Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, though he did not referencing crude explicitly, supported the focus by saying that “secure fuel supplies has been a robust and vital foundation of the bilateral partnership.”

Challenging US Interference

In the lead-up to the summit, in a TV appearance, Putin had criticized American pressure over India's oil imports. The president questioned, “If the US can claim the privilege to buy our nuclear fuel, how can you deny India claim the equivalent access?”

Putin's arrival marked his initial journey to India since the onset of the situation in Ukraine, and the two nations made a clear effort to demonstrate that the personal rapport between the two leaders remained intact.

A Warm Reception

Taking an rare step, the Indian PM welcomed directly Putin as he disembarked. They shared a warm hug like longtime companions before having a one-on-one meal the night before the summit.

The Indian prime minister referred to India's alliance with Russia as “a guiding star” and said it was “founded on reciprocal esteem and strong faith.”

Strengthening Defence and Economic Cooperation

The bilateral summit resulted in several important deals across defence and trade relations. One significant result was the signing of an joint economic plan extending until 2030, which targets to increase twofold bilateral trade to a hundred billion USD each year by the end of the decade.

Furthermore pledged to restructure their strategic cooperation. Although Russia is still India's biggest exporter of weapons, this role has reduced over the past decade as India has sought diversify its supply base.

Their communique stressed an agreement on the joint production of advanced military systems, although specific mention of deals for the fifth-generation aircraft were not made.

Overall, Russia and India affirmed that in the “current complex, difficult, and uncertain global landscape, Russian-Indian ties remain strong to foreign influence.”