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In a defiant signal to the United States, Leader Vladimir Putin stated to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to maintain “unbroken” shipments of oil to India. These remarks came during a summit where both heads of state met in Delhi and asserted their relationship were “resistant to external pressure.”

A Statement Directed at the United States

This affirmation, delivered Friday, seemed to be targeted at the United States and its allies, that have sought to urge New Delhi into reducing its historical relations with Moscow. The context is in response to previous US actions, including the imposition of trade penalties on India due to its purchase of discounted Russian crude.

“Our nation is a trustworthy source of energy resources and everything necessary for the development of India’s energy sector,” the Russian president said. “We are ready to persist in ensuring the consistent supply of resources for the booming Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, without naming energy explicitly, echoed the theme by saying that “a stable energy base has been a key and vital pillar of the India-Russia partnership.”

Questioning Washington's Stance

In the lead-up to the summit, during a TV appearance, Putin had criticized Washington's stance on India's oil imports. The president questioned, “When Washington can claim the privilege to buy our nuclear fuel, why shouldn’t India claim the equivalent access?”

The visit was his first visit to India after the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and both sides made a clear show to demonstrate that the personal rapport between the heads of state remained intact.

A Warm Welcome

Taking an rare gesture, the Indian PM personally greeted Putin as he disembarked. They shared a warm hug akin to old friends before holding a closed-door supper the night before the summit.

Modi in his statement called India's alliance with Russia as “a lodestar” and said it was “founded on shared respect and profound confidence.”

Expanding Bilateral Ties

Friday's talks yielded several significant pacts in the fields of defence and economic cooperation. A cornerstone agreement was the signing of an economic cooperation programme extending until 2030, which targets to increase twofold mutual trade to a hundred billion USD annually by the end of the decade.

The leaders also pledged to reshape their defence ties. Although Russia remains India's primary exporter of arms, its share has declined in recent years as India aims to diversify its sources.

The joint statement highlighted cooperation in the collaborative manufacturing of cutting-edge defence platforms, though explicit reference of purchases such as the Sukhoi Su-57 were omitted.

In conclusion, Russia and India reiterated that during the “ongoing challenging, difficult, and uncertain global landscape, the Indo-Russian partnership continue to be durable to external pressure.”