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During a clear message to the West, Leader Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to maintain “continuous” supplies of energy resources to India. This declaration came as the two leaders met in Delhi and affirmed their partnership were “resilient to external pressure.”

A Message Directed at the West

This affirmation, made on Friday, was widely seen to be a pointed rebuke at western countries, that have sought to pressure New Delhi into reducing its close ties with Moscow. The context follows previous Washington's moves, including additional trade penalties targeting New Delhi due to its acquisition of Moscow's energy exports.

“Russia is a dependable supplier of fuel and all needed for the growth of India’s energy sector,” the Russian president remarked. “We are ready to persist in ensuring the steady flow of resources for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

Modi, while not naming energy explicitly, echoed the focus by saying that “a stable energy base has been a key and vital cornerstone of the India-Russia cooperation.”

Defying Washington's Stance

Before the talks, in a television interview, Putin had questioned US interference on India's oil imports. Putin stated, “When Washington is entitled to buy our atomic materials, then why can't India have the identical right?”

This trip marked his initial trip to India since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, and both sides undertook a visible attempt to display that the personal rapport between the two leaders was undisturbed.

A Personal Greeting

Taking an notable gesture, the Indian PM welcomed directly Putin as he disembarked. Both leaders shared a warm hug as old friends before enjoying a private dinner the night before the summit.

He later described India's alliance with Russia as “a lodestar” and noted it was “founded on shared respect and profound confidence.”

Strengthening Strategic Cooperation

Friday's talks produced several key agreements regarding defence and trade relations. A major outcome was the signing of an joint economic plan aimed at 2030, which aims to increase twofold bilateral trade to one hundred billion dollars annually by the 2030 deadline.

The leaders also vowed to restructure their defence ties. While Russia is still India's largest source of arms, its share has declined lately as India has sought broaden its procurement.

The official release highlighted cooperation in the collaborative manufacturing of sophisticated defence platforms, though specific details of systems like the Su-57 fighter jet were not made.

Overall, Russia and India reiterated that amid the “ongoing challenging, difficult, and unpredictable international environment, the Indo-Russian partnership continue to be durable to outside forces.”