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In a defiant signal to Western nations, President Vladimir Putin informed PM Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to provide “uninterrupted” shipments of crude oil to India. The announcement came as the two leaders met in Delhi and declared their relationship were “resistant to outside influence.”

A Message For the United States

This affirmation, made on Friday, was widely seen to be a pointed rebuke at the United States and its allies, which have sought to urge New Delhi into scaling back its historical links with Moscow. The context is in response to recent American measures, including the introduction of trade penalties on India over its purchase of Russian oil.

“Moscow remains a trustworthy source of fuel and all necessary for the development of India’s energy sector,” Putin said. “Moscow stands willing to continue guaranteeing the consistent flow of fuel for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, without naming energy specifically, supported the sentiment by noting that “energy security has been a strong and crucial pillar of the bilateral cooperation.”

Challenging US Interference

Prior to the summit, in a media interview, Putin had questioned American pressure on India's energy purchases. Putin stated, “Should America has the right to buy our atomic materials, how can you deny India have the identical right?”

Putin's arrival represented his initial visit to India since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi made a visible attempt to project that the bond between the men was undisturbed.

An Unusual Reception

Taking an unusual move, Modi met Putin upon his arrival. The two exchanged a hearty embrace as longtime companions before having a private dinner together.

The Indian prime minister in his statement called India's alliance with Russia as “a guiding star” and added it was “built on reciprocal esteem and profound confidence.”

Expanding Strategic Ties

The bilateral summit produced several important deals in the fields of military and trade relations. A cornerstone agreement was the completion of an strategic roadmap aimed at 2030, which targets to increase twofold mutual trade to one hundred billion dollars each year by the target year.

The leaders also agreed to restructure their strategic cooperation. While Russia continues to be India's primary supplier of defence equipment, the volume has declined in recent years as India works to widen its supply base.

Their communique stressed cooperation in the co-development of cutting-edge military systems, although explicit details of deals for the Sukhoi Su-57 were omitted.

In conclusion, Moscow and Delhi restated that in the “present intricate, tense, and uncertain international environment, their relationship continue to be durable to external pressure.”