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During a unambiguous statement to the West, Leader Vladimir Putin informed PM Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to guarantee “continuous” deliveries of oil to India. This declaration came when Putin and Modi met in the Indian capital and affirmed their partnership were “resistant to outside influence.”

A Message For the West

The statement, delivered Friday, was widely seen to be a direct challenge at the United States and its allies, who have sought to pressure New Delhi into scaling back its historical relations with Moscow. This comes follows recent US actions, notably the imposition of tariffs targeting New Delhi over its buying of Moscow's energy exports.

“Russia is a trustworthy exporter of fuel and anything necessary for the development of India’s economy,” Putin stated. “We are ready to persist in ensuring the uninterrupted supply of resources for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, though he did not mentioning oil explicitly, supported the focus by stating that “a stable energy base has been a robust and crucial cornerstone of the Indo-Russian partnership.”

Challenging Washington's Stance

In the lead-up to the summit, in a TV appearance, Putin had questioned Washington's stance over India's energy purchases. He argued, “Should America can claim the privilege to buy our atomic materials, then why can't India claim the identical right?”

This trip was his initial trip to India after the start of the situation in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi made a clear attempt to demonstrate that the friendship between the two leaders persisted strongly.

A Personal Welcome

Employing an notable step, the Indian PM personally greeted Putin upon his arrival. Both leaders shared a warm hug akin to close allies before holding a private dinner together.

He later described India's alliance with Russia as “a guiding star” and said it was “based on reciprocal esteem and deep trust.”

Strengthening Bilateral Partnerships

The bilateral summit produced several significant pacts across defence and trade relations. A major outcome was the finalization of an joint economic plan extending until 2030, which targets to double commerce to a hundred billion USD annually by the end of the decade.

Furthermore vowed to recalibrate their defence ties. Even as Russia remains India's biggest source of defence equipment, this role has diminished lately as India has sought widen its sources.

The joint statement emphasized plans for the collaborative manufacturing of sophisticated defence platforms, although direct reference of systems like the fifth-generation aircraft were omitted.

In conclusion, Moscow and Delhi affirmed that in the “current complex, tense, and uncertain global landscape, Russian-Indian ties remain resilient to outside forces.”