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Amid a clear message to Western nations, Leader Vladimir Putin stated to PM Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to maintain “unbroken” deliveries of oil to India. These remarks came as the two leaders met in Delhi and declared their bilateral ties were “resilient to foreign coercion.”

A Signal For the United States

The statement, made on Friday, was widely seen to be a pointed rebuke at Washington, that have repeatedly attempted to pressure New Delhi into reducing its historical links with Moscow. This comes follows previous American measures, such as the introduction of import duties targeting New Delhi over its buying of discounted Russian crude.

“Moscow remains a reliable source of energy resources and all needed for the advancement of India’s economy,” the Russian president remarked. “Russia is prepared to continue guaranteeing the uninterrupted supply of energy for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, while not naming energy specifically, echoed the theme by stating that “secure fuel supplies has been a strong and important foundation of the Indo-Russian alliance.”

Questioning US Interference

In the lead-up to the summit, during a TV appearance, Putin had questioned Washington's stance regarding India's dealings with Russia. Putin stated, “When Washington is entitled to buy our uranium, then why can't India have the same privilege?”

The visit was his maiden visit to India since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, and the two nations made a clear attempt to project that the bond between the heads of state persisted strongly.

A Warm Reception

In a rare gesture, Modi welcomed directly Putin upon his arrival. The two shared a warm hug as close allies before enjoying a private dinner together.

The Indian prime minister in his statement called India's relationship with Russia as “a lodestar” and noted it was “based on reciprocal esteem and deep trust.”

Expanding Defence and Economic Cooperation

The meeting resulted in a number of important deals across military and economic cooperation. A major outcome was the finalization of an strategic roadmap that runs to 2030, which aims to increase twofold commerce to $100bn annually by the target year.

Furthermore pledged to reshape their strategic cooperation. While Russia continues to be India's biggest exporter of arms, this role has declined in recent years as India works to diversify its supply base.

The joint statement emphasized plans for the collaborative manufacturing of advanced weapons platforms, though explicit mention of purchases such as the fifth-generation aircraft were omitted.

Ultimately, both nations reiterated that amid the “present intricate, strained, and uncertain international environment, the Indo-Russian partnership continue to be resilient to outside forces.”