🔗 Share this article

Amid a defiant message to the United States, Leader Vladimir Putin stated to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to provide “uninterrupted” shipments of crude oil to India. These remarks came during a summit where both heads of state met in Delhi and declared their bilateral ties were “immune to foreign coercion.”

A Statement Aimed at the Western Countries

Putin's comments, made on Friday, appeared to be targeted at Washington, who have tried to pressure New Delhi into curtailing its historical links with Moscow. The context is in response to previous American measures, such as the imposition of import duties targeting New Delhi due to its purchase of Moscow's energy exports.

“Moscow remains a trustworthy supplier of energy resources and everything necessary for the growth of India’s industry,” he remarked. “We are ready to continue guaranteeing the steady delivery of resources for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Modi, without referencing crude explicitly, supported the sentiment by stating that “a stable energy base has been a robust and crucial cornerstone of the Indo-Russian cooperation.”

Questioning US Interference

Before the summit, in a television interview, Putin had criticized American pressure over India's energy purchases. The president questioned, “Should America can claim the privilege to buy our nuclear fuel, how can you deny India enjoy the identical right?”

The visit represented his initial visit to India after the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and the two nations undertook a clear attempt to display that the personal rapport between the heads of state was undisturbed.

A Personal Greeting

Employing an rare move, Modi personally greeted Putin upon his arrival. They exchanged a hearty embrace akin to close allies before holding a private dinner the night before the summit.

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

Reaffirming Defence and Economic Cooperation

Friday's talks yielded a number of key agreements across military and trade relations. A major outcome was the finalization of an economic cooperation programme extending until 2030, which aims to boost commerce to one hundred billion dollars each year by the 2030 deadline.

Furthermore agreed to recalibrate their strategic cooperation. While Russia continues to be India's primary source of defence equipment, the volume has declined over the past decade as India aims to broaden its procurement.

Their communique emphasized an agreement on the co-development of advanced military systems, though explicit mention of purchases such as the Su-57 fighter jet were omitted.

In conclusion, both nations reiterated that amid the “current complex, difficult, and volatile global landscape, Russian-Indian ties stay strong to external pressure.”