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During a defiant statement to the United States, Leader Vladimir Putin informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to provide “uninterrupted” shipments of oil to India. This declaration came when Putin and Modi met in the Indian capital and asserted their relationship were “resilient to external pressure.”

A Statement For the Western Countries

The statement, made on Friday, was widely seen to be targeted at western countries, who have tried to compel New Delhi into reducing its longstanding ties with Moscow. The context comes after earlier US actions, such as the imposition of trade penalties against Indian goods over its purchase of Russian oil.

“Moscow remains a reliable source of fuel and everything required for the growth of India’s industry,” the Russian president said. “Moscow stands willing to persist in ensuring the consistent supply of fuel for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Modi, while not naming energy specifically, supported the focus by stating that “energy security has been a robust and crucial foundation of the Indo-Russian alliance.”

Challenging American Pressure

Prior to the meeting, via a television interview, Putin had criticized Washington's stance on India's energy purchases. He argued, “Should America is entitled to buy our nuclear fuel, why shouldn’t India claim the identical right?”

This trip marked his first journey to India since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and the two nations undertook a deliberate show to demonstrate that the personal rapport between the men remained intact.

A Personal Welcome

In a unusual gesture, Prime Minister Modi welcomed directly Putin right off the plane. Both leaders exchanged a hearty embrace akin to old friends before having a one-on-one meal on Thursday evening.

He later described India's relationship with Russia as “a beacon” and added it was “built on mutual respect and profound confidence.”

Expanding Defence and Economic Partnerships

The meeting produced a number of significant pacts in the fields of military and financial collaboration. A major outcome was the completion of an economic cooperation programme aimed at 2030, which targets to increase twofold mutual trade to a hundred billion USD annually by the target year.

Furthermore pledged to restructure their strategic cooperation. While Russia remains India's primary supplier of weapons, the volume has reduced in recent years as India works to widen its sources.

The official release highlighted an agreement on the collaborative manufacturing of sophisticated weapons platforms, though direct details of deals for the Su-57 fighter jet were left out.

Ultimately, Moscow and Delhi affirmed that amid the “ongoing challenging, tense, and volatile global landscape, the Indo-Russian partnership stay durable to outside forces.”