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During a clear signal to the United States, President Vladimir Putin stated to PM Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to guarantee “unbroken” supplies of energy resources to India. The announcement came during a summit where both heads of state met in the Indian capital and affirmed their partnership were “immune to foreign coercion.”

A Signal Aimed at the Western Countries

The statement, made on Friday, seemed to be targeted at the United States and its allies, who have sought to pressure New Delhi into reducing its longstanding links with Moscow. The context comes after earlier US actions, notably the imposition of tariffs against Indian goods over its purchase of Russian oil.

“Moscow remains a trustworthy source of energy resources and everything necessary for the growth of India’s energy sector,” the Russian president stated. “We are ready to keep securing the steady delivery of fuel for the booming Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, though he did not mentioning oil specifically, reinforced the theme by saying that “secure fuel supplies has been a robust and vital pillar of the bilateral cooperation.”

Defying Washington's Stance

Before the meeting, in a TV appearance, Putin had criticized American pressure on India's dealings with Russia. He argued, “Should America has the right to buy our atomic materials, then why can't India have the same privilege?”

This trip marked his maiden journey to India since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, and both sides undertook a visible attempt to display that the friendship between the heads of state persisted strongly.

An Unusual Welcome

Taking an unusual move, the Indian PM personally greeted Putin as he disembarked. They exchanged a hearty embrace as close allies before holding a private dinner on Thursday evening.

He later described India's alliance with Russia as “a guiding star” and added it was “built on shared respect and strong faith.”

Reaffirming Bilateral Ties

The meeting yielded multiple important deals across military and trade relations. A major outcome was the signing of an joint economic plan extending until 2030, which sets a goal to double bilateral trade to $100bn each year by the 2030 deadline.

The leaders also vowed to reshape their defence ties. Although Russia is still India's primary source of weapons, the volume has declined in recent years as India aims to widen its procurement.

The joint statement highlighted an agreement on the co-development of advanced defence platforms, even if explicit mention of systems like the Sukhoi Su-57 were omitted.

Ultimately, both nations restated that during the “current complex, strained, and uncertain global landscape, the Indo-Russian partnership stay strong to external pressure.”