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In a unambiguous signal to Western nations, President Vladimir Putin informed PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to guarantee “unbroken” shipments of energy resources to India. These remarks came when Putin and Modi met in Delhi and declared their partnership were “immune to foreign coercion.”

A Statement For the United States

The statement, delivered Friday, was widely seen to be a pointed rebuke at western countries, who have sought to urge New Delhi into scaling back its close relations with Moscow. This comes comes after previous American measures, such as additional trade penalties on India because of its buying of discounted Russian crude.

“Our nation is a dependable exporter of oil and gas and anything needed for the development of India’s energy sector,” Putin remarked. “Moscow stands willing to keep securing the steady supply of resources for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, though he did not referencing crude explicitly, supported the theme by noting that “secure fuel supplies has been a key and important pillar of the India-Russia partnership.”

Challenging Washington's Stance

In the lead-up to the meeting, during a television interview, Putin had questioned Washington's stance on India's energy purchases. He argued, “Should America has the right to buy our uranium, then why can't India enjoy the identical right?”

The visit was his initial journey to India since the start of the war in Ukraine, and both sides engaged in a deliberate effort to demonstrate that the friendship between the heads of state was undisturbed.

A Personal Welcome

Employing an notable gesture, Prime Minister Modi welcomed directly Putin upon his arrival. Both leaders shared a warm hug like old friends before holding a private dinner on Thursday evening.

Modi referred to India's partnership with Russia as “a guiding star” and noted it was “built on shared respect and strong faith.”

Expanding Defence and Economic Cooperation

The meeting resulted in several important deals in the fields of military and economic cooperation. A cornerstone agreement was the completion of an economic cooperation programme extending until 2030, which targets to double bilateral trade to $100bn per year by the target year.

The leaders also pledged to recalibrate their strategic cooperation. While Russia continues to be India's biggest supplier of arms, the volume has diminished lately as India works to broaden its procurement.

Their communique highlighted cooperation in the joint production of sophisticated military systems, although specific mention of deals for the Su-57 fighter jet were not made.

Ultimately, Russia and India affirmed that amid the “present intricate, difficult, and unpredictable geopolitical situation, the Indo-Russian partnership continue to be resilient to foreign influence.”