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In a clear message to the United States, Leader Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to maintain “uninterrupted” deliveries of crude oil to India. These remarks came during a summit where both heads of state met in New Delhi and asserted their relationship were “resilient to outside influence.”

A Statement For the United States

This affirmation, made on Friday, appeared to be a direct challenge at the United States and its allies, which have repeatedly attempted to urge New Delhi into reducing its historical ties with Moscow. The context is in response to previous US actions, notably the introduction of tariffs on India because of its buying of discounted Russian crude.

“Russia is a reliable source of fuel and everything required for the growth of India’s industry,” he remarked. “We are ready to continue ensuring the uninterrupted supply of fuel for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Modi, while not referencing crude directly, echoed the theme by stating that “energy security has been a robust and vital pillar of the bilateral cooperation.”

Questioning American Pressure

In the lead-up to the summit, via a television interview, Putin had criticized US interference regarding India's energy purchases. Putin stated, “When Washington has the right to buy our atomic materials, how can you deny India enjoy the same privilege?”

This trip marked his first journey to India following the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and both sides undertook a deliberate effort to project that the friendship between the two leaders remained intact.

A Personal Greeting

In a unusual gesture, the Indian PM welcomed directly Putin as he disembarked. Both leaders embraced warmly akin to old friends before holding a private dinner the night before the summit.

He in his statement called India's relationship with Russia as “a guiding star” and said it was “built on mutual respect and strong faith.”

Expanding Strategic Partnerships

Friday's talks yielded several key agreements in the fields of military and financial collaboration. One significant result was the signing of an economic cooperation programme extending until 2030, which aims to boost bilateral trade to one hundred billion dollars each year by the end of the decade.

The leaders also pledged to reshape their defence ties. Although Russia continues to be India's largest supplier of weapons, the volume has reduced over the past decade as India has sought broaden its supply base.

The joint statement emphasized an agreement on the collaborative manufacturing of advanced defence platforms, although specific reference of deals for the Sukhoi Su-57 were left out.

Overall, Russia and India affirmed that in the “ongoing challenging, difficult, and unpredictable geopolitical situation, the Indo-Russian partnership remain resilient to external pressure.”