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In a unambiguous statement to the United States, President Vladimir Putin has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to guarantee “continuous” supplies of oil to India. This declaration came when Putin and Modi met in the Indian capital and asserted their relationship were “immune to foreign coercion.”

A Message Directed at the United States

Putin's comments, made on Friday, was widely seen to be a pointed rebuke at western countries, which have repeatedly attempted to pressure New Delhi into curtailing its historical links with Moscow. The context follows previous American measures, such as additional trade penalties targeting New Delhi due to its purchase of Moscow's energy exports.

“Our nation is a dependable exporter of oil and gas and anything needed for the growth of India’s economy,” he remarked. “Russia is prepared to continue guaranteeing the steady supply of resources for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, while not referencing crude directly, supported the sentiment by noting that “energy security has been a strong and vital cornerstone of the India-Russia cooperation.”

Questioning US Interference

Prior to the meeting, during a television interview, Putin had challenged US interference on India's energy purchases. The president questioned, “Should America is entitled to buy our atomic materials, why shouldn’t India claim the equivalent access?”

The visit marked his maiden trip to India after the onset of the war in Ukraine, and the two nations engaged in a clear effort to demonstrate that the friendship between the men persisted strongly.

A Personal Reception

Employing an notable move, the Indian PM personally greeted Putin right off the plane. Both leaders shared a warm hug as close allies before holding a one-on-one meal together.

Modi referred to India's relationship with Russia as “a beacon” and added it was “built on shared respect and profound confidence.”

Expanding Bilateral Partnerships

The bilateral summit yielded multiple significant pacts across military and trade relations. A major outcome was the finalization of an joint economic plan that runs to 2030, which aims to double bilateral trade to a hundred billion USD annually by the end of the decade.

Additionally agreed to recalibrate their military partnership. Even as Russia remains India's primary source of arms, the volume has reduced in recent years as India aims to broaden its procurement.

Their communique emphasized plans for the joint production of cutting-edge weapons platforms, though explicit details of systems like the Su-57 fighter jet were omitted.

In conclusion, Russia and India restated that during the “present intricate, difficult, and uncertain geopolitical situation, their relationship continue to be durable to outside forces.”