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During a unambiguous statement to the West, President Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to maintain “unbroken” supplies of energy resources to India. This declaration came as the two leaders met in New Delhi and asserted their partnership were “resistant to external pressure.”

A Signal Aimed at the Western Countries

This affirmation, made on Friday, appeared to be a direct challenge at Washington, who have sought to compel New Delhi into reducing its longstanding relations with Moscow. This comes is in response to recent American measures, notably the introduction of trade penalties targeting New Delhi because of its buying of discounted Russian crude.

“Our nation is a dependable source of energy resources and all required for the growth of India’s energy sector,” he said. “We are ready to continue securing the uninterrupted flow of energy for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

Modi, though he did not mentioning oil directly, reinforced the theme by noting that “secure fuel supplies has been a strong and crucial foundation of the Indo-Russian partnership.”

Challenging US Interference

In the lead-up to the talks, during a television interview, Putin had challenged American pressure regarding India's energy purchases. He argued, “If the US can claim the privilege to buy our atomic materials, how can you deny India have the same privilege?”

Putin's arrival represented his maiden visit to India following the start of the conflict in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi engaged in a deliberate show to display that the bond between the men remained intact.

An Unusual Greeting

Taking an notable step, the Indian PM personally greeted Putin as he disembarked. Both leaders shared a warm hug as longtime companions before enjoying a private dinner the night before the summit.

He in his statement called India's alliance with Russia as “a guiding star” and added it was “founded on mutual respect and profound confidence.”

Expanding Defence and Economic Cooperation

Friday's talks produced multiple significant pacts across military and economic cooperation. A cornerstone agreement was the completion of an economic cooperation programme extending until 2030, which aims to increase twofold bilateral trade to a hundred billion USD each year by the target year.

Furthermore agreed to restructure their military partnership. Although Russia remains India's biggest exporter of arms, this role has diminished lately as India works to broaden its procurement.

The joint statement stressed plans for the collaborative manufacturing of sophisticated military systems, even if specific reference of systems like the Su-57 fighter jet were left out.

Ultimately, Russia and India reiterated that amid the “ongoing challenging, strained, and uncertain geopolitical situation, the Indo-Russian partnership remain durable to foreign influence.”