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Amid a unambiguous statement to the West, Leader Vladimir Putin informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to provide “uninterrupted” shipments of crude oil to India. The announcement came when Putin and Modi met in the Indian capital and asserted their partnership were “immune to external pressure.”

A Statement Aimed at the Western Countries

Putin's comments, made on Friday, seemed to be targeted at the United States and its allies, who have sought to urge New Delhi into scaling back its close ties with Moscow. This comes follows recent American measures, including the introduction of tariffs against Indian goods because of its acquisition of discounted Russian crude.

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

Prime Minister Modi, while not referencing crude directly, reinforced the sentiment by saying that “secure fuel supplies has been a strong and important foundation of the Indo-Russian alliance.”

Defying Washington's Stance

Prior to the talks, via a TV appearance, Putin had criticized Washington's stance on India's dealings with Russia. Putin stated, “Should America can claim the privilege to buy our atomic materials, why shouldn’t India have the same privilege?”

This trip represented his first visit to India after the beginning of the situation in Ukraine, and both sides undertook a deliberate show to project that the personal rapport between the two leaders persisted strongly.

A Personal Reception

In a notable step, the Indian PM met Putin as he disembarked. They exchanged a hearty embrace akin to longtime companions before enjoying a private dinner the night before the summit.

He referred to India's relationship with Russia as “a guiding star” and said it was “built on mutual respect and deep trust.”

Strengthening Defence and Economic Partnerships

Friday's talks produced a number of significant pacts in the fields of defence and trade relations. One significant result was the finalization of an strategic roadmap that runs to 2030, which aims to double commerce to a hundred billion USD annually by the target year.

The leaders also agreed to restructure their military partnership. Although Russia is still India's biggest supplier of defence equipment, its share has diminished in recent years as India works to broaden its sources.

The joint statement stressed plans for the joint production of advanced defence platforms, even if specific mention of deals for the Su-57 fighter jet were omitted.

Overall, Moscow and Delhi reiterated that during the “current complex, strained, and uncertain international environment, Russian-Indian ties stay durable to external pressure.”