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During a defiant signal to the United States, President Vladimir Putin stated to PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to guarantee “unbroken” supplies of oil to India. This declaration came as the two leaders met in New Delhi and asserted their partnership were “resistant to outside influence.”

A Signal For the United States

This affirmation, delivered Friday, seemed to be targeted at the United States and its allies, that have tried to urge New Delhi into scaling back its close relations with Moscow. The backdrop is in response to previous Washington's moves, including the introduction of import duties on India due to its purchase of Moscow's energy exports.

“Russia is a trustworthy supplier of fuel and everything required for the development of India’s economy,” he remarked. “We are ready to persist in guaranteeing the steady flow of resources for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Modi, without mentioning oil explicitly, reinforced the sentiment by stating that “energy security has been a key and crucial cornerstone of the Indo-Russian alliance.”

Questioning Washington's Stance

Before the meeting, during a television interview, Putin had criticized Washington's stance on India's dealings with Russia. Putin stated, “When Washington has the right to buy our nuclear fuel, why shouldn’t India claim the identical right?”

Putin's arrival was his initial journey to India since the start of the war in Ukraine, and both sides made a clear attempt to demonstrate that the bond between the men was undisturbed.

A Personal Greeting

Taking an unusual step, Prime Minister Modi personally greeted Putin as he disembarked. The two exchanged a hearty embrace akin to close allies before holding a closed-door supper on Thursday evening.

The Indian prime minister referred to India's alliance with Russia as “a lodestar” and said it was “founded on shared respect and deep trust.”

Reaffirming Bilateral Partnerships

Friday's talks produced a number of significant pacts across military and trade relations. A cornerstone agreement was the completion of an joint economic plan that runs to 2030, which sets a goal to boost mutual trade to $100bn each year by the end of the decade.

Additionally pledged to reshape their strategic cooperation. While Russia is still India's largest supplier of defence equipment, this role has diminished in recent years as India aims to diversify its supply base.

The joint statement stressed cooperation in the joint production of cutting-edge weapons platforms, though explicit reference of systems like the Sukhoi Su-57 were left out.

Ultimately, both nations restated that amid the “present intricate, strained, and volatile global landscape, the Indo-Russian partnership remain durable to outside forces.”