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In a clear message to the West, President Vladimir Putin informed PM Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to provide “unbroken” shipments of crude oil to India. This declaration came during a summit where both heads of state met in New Delhi and asserted their relationship were “immune to foreign coercion.”

A Statement Aimed at the West

Putin's comments, made on Friday, appeared to be a direct challenge at the United States and its allies, which have tried to compel New Delhi into reducing its historical relations with Moscow. The context comes after recent Washington's moves, notably additional import duties targeting New Delhi due to its purchase of Russian oil.

“Moscow remains a reliable supplier of oil and gas and everything required for the growth of India’s energy sector,” he stated. “Russia is prepared to continue ensuring the uninterrupted flow of energy for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, without referencing crude directly, echoed the sentiment by saying that “secure fuel supplies has been a robust and important cornerstone of the bilateral cooperation.”

Questioning American Pressure

Before the summit, via a television interview, Putin had criticized American pressure regarding India's oil imports. He argued, “Should America has the right to buy our nuclear fuel, then why can't India enjoy the same privilege?”

The visit represented his maiden trip to India following the start of the war in Ukraine, and the two nations made a clear show to display that the friendship between the men persisted strongly.

An Unusual Reception

Employing an notable move, Modi welcomed directly Putin upon his arrival. They embraced warmly like close allies before having a one-on-one meal on Thursday evening.

The Indian prime minister in his statement called India's partnership with Russia as “a beacon” and said it was “founded on mutual respect and deep trust.”

Expanding Defence and Economic Partnerships

The meeting resulted in multiple key agreements in the fields of military and economic cooperation. A major outcome was the finalization of an strategic roadmap aimed at 2030, which sets a goal to increase twofold mutual trade to one hundred billion dollars per year by the end of the decade.

The leaders also vowed to recalibrate their strategic cooperation. While Russia remains India's largest source of weapons, its share has declined in recent years as India works to broaden its procurement.

Their communique stressed cooperation in the co-development of advanced military systems, even if explicit reference of purchases such as the Su-57 fighter jet were omitted.

In conclusion, Moscow and Delhi restated that in the “current complex, difficult, and unpredictable global landscape, the Indo-Russian partnership continue to be durable to external pressure.”