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Amid a unambiguous statement to Western nations, President Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to provide “uninterrupted” deliveries of crude oil to India. The announcement came during a summit where both heads of state met in Delhi and affirmed their bilateral ties were “resistant to outside influence.”

A Signal Directed at the United States

The statement, delivered Friday, was widely seen to be a pointed rebuke at western countries, who have tried to pressure New Delhi into scaling back its historical links with Moscow. The context comes after previous Washington's moves, notably additional tariffs targeting New Delhi due to its buying of Moscow's energy exports.

“Moscow remains a dependable source of energy resources and anything required for the growth of India’s economy,” he stated. “We are ready to keep ensuring the steady flow of resources for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, while not mentioning oil specifically, echoed the sentiment by stating that “energy security has been a key and important pillar of the India-Russia alliance.”

Questioning US Interference

In the lead-up to the meeting, in a TV appearance, Putin had questioned American pressure regarding India's energy purchases. Putin stated, “If the US has the right to buy our uranium, why shouldn’t India claim the same privilege?”

This trip was his maiden journey to India after the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and both sides engaged in a deliberate effort to display that the personal rapport between the heads of state remained intact.

A Personal Reception

In a unusual move, Prime Minister Modi welcomed directly Putin upon his arrival. Both leaders exchanged a hearty embrace like longtime companions before holding a private dinner together.

Modi referred to India's alliance with Russia as “a lodestar” and added it was “based on reciprocal esteem and strong faith.”

Expanding Strategic Cooperation

Friday's talks resulted in multiple significant pacts regarding defence and trade relations. A cornerstone agreement was the finalization of an joint economic plan extending until 2030, which sets a goal to boost commerce to a hundred billion USD each year by the target year.

The leaders also vowed to restructure their defence ties. Although Russia remains India's primary exporter of weapons, the volume has declined in recent years as India has sought widen its sources.

The official release emphasized plans for the joint production of sophisticated weapons platforms, though direct mention of purchases such as the Sukhoi Su-57 were not made.

Overall, both nations affirmed that during the “current complex, difficult, and volatile international environment, Russian-Indian ties continue to be durable to external pressure.”