🔗 Share this article

Amid a defiant signal to the West, Leader Vladimir Putin informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to maintain “unbroken” deliveries of oil to India. This declaration came as the two leaders met in the Indian capital and declared their partnership were “resilient to external pressure.”

A Message Directed at the Western Countries

The statement, delivered Friday, seemed to be a pointed rebuke at western countries, which have tried to compel New Delhi into curtailing its historical relations with Moscow. The backdrop comes after previous Washington's moves, notably the imposition of import duties on India due to its purchase of Russian oil.

“Moscow remains a reliable supplier of oil and gas and all required for the growth of India’s energy sector,” Putin said. “Russia is prepared to keep ensuring the consistent delivery of energy for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Modi, without mentioning oil explicitly, supported the focus by noting that “energy security has been a key and important pillar of the India-Russia cooperation.”

Defying American Pressure

In the lead-up to the meeting, via a media interview, Putin had challenged Washington's stance on India's energy purchases. The president questioned, “When Washington can claim the privilege to buy our atomic materials, why shouldn’t India enjoy the equivalent access?”

The visit marked his first journey to India following the beginning of the situation in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi undertook a deliberate show to project that the bond between the men was undisturbed.

A Warm Greeting

Taking an notable move, the Indian PM met Putin upon his arrival. They exchanged a hearty embrace like close allies before holding a private dinner on Thursday evening.

The Indian prime minister later described India's partnership with Russia as “a guiding star” and added it was “built on mutual respect and profound confidence.”

Expanding Strategic Cooperation

The bilateral summit resulted in several important deals across defence and economic cooperation. A cornerstone agreement was the completion of an strategic roadmap extending until 2030, which aims to increase twofold bilateral trade to one hundred billion dollars annually by the target year.

Furthermore pledged to restructure their defence ties. While Russia is still India's primary supplier of arms, the volume has reduced in recent years as India works to diversify its sources.

Their communique stressed an agreement on the collaborative manufacturing of cutting-edge defence platforms, although explicit mention of deals for the Sukhoi Su-57 were left out.

Ultimately, Moscow and Delhi reiterated that during the “ongoing challenging, difficult, and unpredictable geopolitical situation, their relationship continue to be resilient to outside forces.”