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In a clear statement to the West, Leader Vladimir Putin has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to maintain “unbroken” deliveries of crude oil to India. These remarks came as the two leaders met in the Indian capital and affirmed their relationship were “resilient to external pressure.”

A Signal Aimed at the United States

Putin's comments, issued after the annual summit, seemed to be targeted at western countries, who have repeatedly attempted to urge New Delhi into scaling back its close relations with Moscow. This comes comes after previous American measures, notably the introduction of import duties on India over its purchase of Moscow's energy exports.

“Our nation is a dependable supplier of oil and gas and anything needed for the development of India’s industry,” he remarked. “Russia is prepared to persist in ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of fuel for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, without naming energy explicitly, supported the theme by saying that “secure fuel supplies has been a strong and important pillar of the Indo-Russian partnership.”

Questioning American Pressure

Prior to the summit, via a TV appearance, Putin had questioned Washington's stance over India's energy purchases. He argued, “If the US is entitled to buy our atomic materials, then why can't India have the same privilege?”

Putin's arrival represented his maiden trip to India since the onset of the situation in Ukraine, and both sides engaged in a deliberate attempt to display that the friendship between the two leaders remained intact.

An Unusual Welcome

Taking an unusual step, Modi welcomed directly Putin as he disembarked. Both leaders exchanged a hearty embrace like longtime companions before holding a one-on-one meal the night before the summit.

The Indian prime minister in his statement called India's partnership with Russia as “a guiding star” and said it was “built on mutual respect and deep trust.”

Expanding Defence and Economic Ties

The bilateral summit yielded a number of key agreements regarding military and economic cooperation. One significant result was the finalization of an joint economic plan that runs to 2030, which aims to increase twofold commerce to $100bn per year by the 2030 deadline.

The leaders also vowed to reshape their military partnership. Even as Russia remains India's primary exporter of weapons, its share has reduced in recent years as India works to broaden its sources.

Their communique highlighted an agreement on the joint production of sophisticated weapons platforms, even if direct mention of purchases such as the Sukhoi Su-57 were not made.

Ultimately, Moscow and Delhi restated that amid the “ongoing challenging, difficult, and unpredictable international environment, the Indo-Russian partnership stay strong to foreign influence.”