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In a unambiguous signal to Western nations, Leader Vladimir Putin stated to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to maintain “continuous” supplies of crude oil to India. The announcement came as the two leaders met in New Delhi and affirmed their relationship were “immune to outside influence.”

A Statement Aimed at the United States

The statement, made on Friday, seemed to be targeted at western countries, who have repeatedly attempted to urge New Delhi into reducing its longstanding relations with Moscow. This comes is in response to recent US actions, including the imposition of trade penalties on India due to its acquisition of Russian oil.

“Russia is a dependable supplier of fuel and everything required for the development of India’s industry,” he stated. “Russia is prepared to continue ensuring the consistent flow of energy for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, though he did not referencing crude directly, supported the theme by noting that “secure fuel supplies has been a key and crucial cornerstone of the bilateral alliance.”

Defying American Pressure

Prior to the meeting, in a TV appearance, Putin had questioned Washington's stance over India's dealings with Russia. Putin stated, “When Washington is entitled to buy our atomic materials, then why can't India enjoy the identical right?”

Putin's arrival marked his maiden journey to India since the beginning of the situation in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi undertook a clear attempt to demonstrate that the personal rapport between the men remained intact.

A Personal Reception

In a notable move, Modi personally greeted Putin right off the plane. They shared a warm hug as close allies before holding a private dinner together.

He referred to India's alliance with Russia as “a lodestar” and noted it was “based on reciprocal esteem and profound confidence.”

Expanding Defence and Economic Partnerships

Friday's talks produced multiple important deals in the fields of defence and trade relations. A major outcome was the completion of an economic cooperation programme that runs to 2030, which aims to boost mutual trade to one hundred billion dollars per year by the end of the decade.

The leaders also vowed to restructure their strategic cooperation. Although Russia is still India's primary exporter of weapons, its share has declined over the past decade as India works to broaden its procurement.

The joint statement highlighted cooperation in the joint production of sophisticated defence platforms, though direct reference of deals for the Sukhoi Su-57 were left out.

Overall, Moscow and Delhi restated that amid the “present intricate, difficult, and volatile international environment, the Indo-Russian partnership remain resilient to outside forces.”