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During a defiant statement to the United States, President Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to maintain “unbroken” shipments of energy resources to India. These remarks came during a summit where both heads of state met in Delhi and declared their partnership were “resistant to outside influence.”

A Message Aimed at the Western Countries

The statement, issued after the annual summit, seemed to be a direct challenge at western countries, who have tried to pressure New Delhi into curtailing its historical relations with Moscow. The context follows recent US actions, such as the introduction of tariffs targeting New Delhi due to its purchase of Moscow's energy exports.

“Moscow remains a trustworthy supplier of energy resources and anything needed for the advancement of India’s economy,” the Russian president remarked. “We are ready to keep ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of energy for the booming Indian economy.”

Modi, though he did not mentioning oil directly, echoed the theme by noting that “energy security has been a key and important cornerstone of the Indo-Russian cooperation.”

Questioning US Interference

Before the talks, via a television interview, Putin had criticized Washington's stance regarding India's dealings with Russia. Putin stated, “If the US has the right to buy our nuclear fuel, how can you deny India have the equivalent access?”

The visit represented his initial trip to India after the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, and the two nations undertook a clear show to project that the bond between the heads of state remained intact.

A Warm Welcome

Taking an notable step, the Indian PM personally greeted Putin right off the plane. They shared a warm hug as longtime companions before enjoying a private dinner on Thursday evening.

Modi referred to India's partnership with Russia as “a beacon” and noted it was “built on mutual respect and deep trust.”

Strengthening Defence and Economic Cooperation

The bilateral summit produced several important deals across defence and financial collaboration. A cornerstone agreement was the completion of an strategic roadmap that runs to 2030, which sets a goal to double bilateral trade to one hundred billion dollars per year by the end of the decade.

Additionally vowed to restructure their defence ties. Although Russia remains India's biggest source of arms, its share has diminished over the past decade as India has sought widen its sources.

Their communique highlighted cooperation in the joint production of advanced weapons platforms, even if explicit reference of deals for the Su-57 fighter jet were left out.

Ultimately, Moscow and Delhi affirmed that during the “ongoing challenging, strained, and unpredictable geopolitical situation, their relationship stay durable to foreign influence.”