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During a defiant signal to the West, President Vladimir Putin informed PM Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to guarantee “continuous” deliveries of crude oil to India. The announcement came when Putin and Modi met in the Indian capital and declared their bilateral ties were “resistant to outside influence.”

A Statement For the United States

The statement, made on Friday, appeared to be a direct challenge at Washington, who have tried to pressure New Delhi into reducing its historical relations with Moscow. This comes comes after previous American measures, notably the introduction of tariffs on India due to its purchase of Russian oil.

“Moscow remains a reliable exporter of energy resources and all required for the advancement of India’s industry,” the Russian president stated. “Moscow stands willing to continue securing the consistent delivery of fuel for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, while not naming energy explicitly, supported the theme by noting that “energy security has been a strong and important foundation of the bilateral cooperation.”

Questioning Washington's Stance

In the lead-up to the summit, via a media interview, Putin had criticized American pressure on India's oil imports. Putin stated, “Should America has the right to buy our atomic materials, why shouldn’t India enjoy the same privilege?”

Putin's arrival was his first visit to India after the beginning of the situation in Ukraine, and both sides engaged in a visible show to project that the personal rapport between the men remained intact.

A Warm Greeting

In a rare gesture, Modi welcomed directly Putin right off the plane. Both leaders exchanged a hearty embrace akin to longtime companions before holding a private dinner together.

Modi later described India's alliance with Russia as “a lodestar” and said it was “built on shared respect and deep trust.”

Reaffirming Strategic Ties

The bilateral summit produced a number of significant pacts in the fields of military and economic cooperation. A major outcome was the signing of an economic cooperation programme that runs to 2030, which targets to double bilateral trade to $100bn per year by the 2030 deadline.

The leaders also agreed to reshape their military partnership. Although Russia is still India's primary source of defence equipment, this role has diminished lately as India has sought diversify its supply base.

The joint statement stressed cooperation in the joint production of cutting-edge weapons platforms, though explicit reference of deals for the fifth-generation aircraft were omitted.

Ultimately, both nations affirmed that during the “present intricate, tense, and volatile global landscape, the Indo-Russian partnership continue to be strong to outside forces.”