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Amid a unambiguous statement to Western nations, President Vladimir Putin has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to provide “continuous” shipments of energy resources to India. The announcement came when Putin and Modi met in New Delhi and asserted their relationship were “resilient to foreign coercion.”

A Statement Directed at the Western Countries

Putin's comments, issued after the annual summit, was widely seen to be a pointed rebuke at Washington, who have sought to compel New Delhi into reducing its close ties with Moscow. The context follows earlier Washington's moves, including additional import duties targeting New Delhi because of its acquisition of discounted Russian crude.

“Russia is a reliable source of fuel and everything needed for the advancement of India’s economy,” the Russian president stated. “We are ready to continue securing the steady delivery of fuel for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, without referencing crude specifically, echoed the sentiment by stating that “secure fuel supplies has been a strong and crucial foundation of the bilateral alliance.”

Defying Washington's Stance

In the lead-up to the meeting, via a media interview, Putin had criticized US interference on India's dealings with Russia. He argued, “Should America is entitled to buy our atomic materials, how can you deny India enjoy the same privilege?”

The visit marked his initial trip to India following the start of the war in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi engaged in a clear attempt to demonstrate that the personal rapport between the two leaders remained intact.

A Warm Greeting

In a unusual gesture, the Indian PM personally greeted Putin as he disembarked. They shared a warm hug like close allies before holding a one-on-one meal the night before the summit.

The Indian prime minister later described India's partnership with Russia as “a lodestar” and noted it was “built on mutual respect and profound confidence.”

Reaffirming Bilateral Cooperation

The meeting produced a number of important deals regarding defence and financial collaboration. A major outcome was the completion of an joint economic plan extending until 2030, which sets a goal to increase twofold commerce to $100bn annually by the target year.

Furthermore agreed to restructure their strategic cooperation. Although Russia remains India's largest source of defence equipment, its share has reduced over the past decade as India has sought widen its sources.

Their communique emphasized cooperation in the collaborative manufacturing of sophisticated defence platforms, although specific reference of purchases such as the Su-57 fighter jet were not made.

In conclusion, Moscow and Delhi reiterated that in the “ongoing challenging, tense, and uncertain geopolitical situation, Russian-Indian ties stay durable to external pressure.”