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During a unambiguous statement to the United States, President Vladimir Putin has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to maintain “unbroken” shipments of energy resources to India. These remarks came as the two leaders met in Delhi and declared their partnership were “resilient to outside influence.”

A Signal Directed at the West

Putin's comments, issued after the annual summit, was widely seen to be a pointed rebuke at the United States and its allies, who have repeatedly attempted to urge New Delhi into curtailing its historical ties with Moscow. This comes follows earlier Washington's moves, notably the imposition of import duties on India because of its acquisition of discounted Russian crude.

“Moscow remains a dependable source of oil and gas and everything required for the growth of India’s energy sector,” the Russian president stated. “Russia is prepared to keep securing the steady delivery of energy for the booming Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, without mentioning oil explicitly, reinforced the focus by stating that “a stable energy base has been a strong and important pillar of the bilateral cooperation.”

Challenging American Pressure

Before the meeting, via a television interview, Putin had criticized Washington's stance on India's oil imports. He argued, “If the US can claim the privilege to buy our uranium, then why can't India claim the same privilege?”

Putin's arrival represented his initial visit to India following the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, and the two nations undertook a deliberate attempt to display that the bond between the heads of state persisted strongly.

An Unusual Reception

Taking an unusual move, Prime Minister Modi met Putin upon his arrival. They shared a warm hug like close allies before holding a one-on-one meal the night before the summit.

Modi later described India's relationship with Russia as “a lodestar” and said it was “founded on shared respect and deep trust.”

Expanding Strategic Partnerships

The bilateral summit resulted in multiple significant pacts across military and financial collaboration. A major outcome was the completion of an strategic roadmap extending until 2030, which targets to boost bilateral trade to one hundred billion dollars each year by the end of the decade.

Additionally vowed to reshape their strategic cooperation. While Russia is still India's biggest exporter of arms, its share has diminished over the past decade as India aims to broaden its supply base.

The joint statement highlighted an agreement on the collaborative manufacturing of sophisticated military systems, although specific details of deals for the fifth-generation aircraft were left out.

In conclusion, Moscow and Delhi reiterated that amid the “current complex, tense, and uncertain geopolitical situation, their relationship stay resilient to external pressure.”