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Amid a clear signal to the United States, President Vladimir Putin informed PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to provide “unbroken” deliveries of oil to India. The announcement came when Putin and Modi met in Delhi and affirmed their relationship were “resilient to external pressure.”

A Statement For the United States

The statement, made on Friday, was widely seen to be targeted at Washington, that have repeatedly attempted to urge New Delhi into scaling back its historical links with Moscow. The backdrop follows recent US actions, notably the imposition of trade penalties against Indian goods over its acquisition of Moscow's energy exports.

“Moscow remains a reliable source of fuel and anything necessary for the advancement of India’s economy,” Putin remarked. “We are ready to keep securing the consistent supply of fuel for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, without referencing crude specifically, supported the sentiment by saying that “a stable energy base has been a strong and important cornerstone of the Indo-Russian cooperation.”

Defying American Pressure

Before the meeting, via a media interview, Putin had criticized US interference on India's energy purchases. The president questioned, “When Washington can claim the privilege to buy our atomic materials, then why can't India have the identical right?”

The visit marked his first visit to India following the start of the conflict in Ukraine, and the two nations engaged in a clear effort to demonstrate that the personal rapport between the heads of state persisted strongly.

A Warm Greeting

Taking an rare gesture, Prime Minister Modi personally greeted Putin right off the plane. The two embraced warmly akin to old friends before enjoying a one-on-one meal together.

He in his statement called India's alliance with Russia as “a guiding star” and noted it was “founded on shared respect and deep trust.”

Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation

Friday's talks yielded a number of significant pacts regarding defence and trade relations. A major outcome was the completion of an joint economic plan that runs to 2030, which aims to double commerce to $100bn annually by the end of the decade.

The leaders also vowed to reshape their defence ties. Even as Russia remains India's biggest source of weapons, this role has reduced in recent years as India works to widen its sources.

The official release stressed an agreement on the joint production of cutting-edge military systems, though explicit reference of purchases such as the Su-57 fighter jet were left out.

Overall, Russia and India reiterated that in the “current complex, difficult, and unpredictable global landscape, Russian-Indian ties remain durable to outside forces.”