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Amid a defiant statement to the West, President Vladimir Putin has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to guarantee “unbroken” supplies of oil to India. The announcement came as the two leaders met in New Delhi and declared their relationship were “resistant to external pressure.”

A Message Aimed at the West

The statement, delivered Friday, seemed to be a pointed rebuke at western countries, which have repeatedly attempted to pressure New Delhi into curtailing its longstanding links with Moscow. This comes follows previous US actions, such as the introduction of tariffs against Indian goods due to its buying of Russian oil.

“Russia is a trustworthy source of energy resources and all necessary for the development of India’s energy sector,” the Russian president remarked. “Russia is prepared to continue guaranteeing the consistent flow of energy for the booming Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, without mentioning oil explicitly, echoed the theme by stating that “a stable energy base has been a strong and important pillar of the bilateral partnership.”

Challenging Washington's Stance

Before the meeting, via a TV appearance, Putin had criticized US interference over India's oil imports. The president questioned, “When Washington can claim the privilege to buy our uranium, why shouldn’t India enjoy the equivalent access?”

The visit marked his initial trip to India following the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, and both sides undertook a deliberate attempt to project that the friendship between the men persisted strongly.

An Unusual Reception

In a rare move, Prime Minister Modi met Putin right off the plane. They exchanged a hearty embrace like old friends before enjoying a one-on-one meal the night before the summit.

He later described India's relationship with Russia as “a beacon” and noted it was “founded on mutual respect and deep trust.”

Reaffirming Strategic Ties

The bilateral summit yielded multiple significant pacts regarding military and economic cooperation. One significant result was the finalization of an strategic roadmap extending until 2030, which sets a goal to double bilateral trade to a hundred billion USD annually by the target year.

Furthermore agreed to restructure their strategic cooperation. Even as Russia remains India's largest supplier of weapons, its share has reduced in recent years as India works to widen its sources.

The official release emphasized plans for the collaborative manufacturing of cutting-edge weapons platforms, although direct reference of systems like the Su-57 fighter jet were omitted.

Ultimately, both nations affirmed that amid the “ongoing challenging, strained, and uncertain international environment, Russian-Indian ties remain durable to foreign influence.”