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In a defiant message to the United States, President Vladimir Putin informed PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to guarantee “uninterrupted” shipments of energy resources to India. This declaration came when Putin and Modi met in Delhi and asserted their bilateral ties were “resistant to foreign coercion.”

A Message Aimed at the Western Countries

This affirmation, issued after the annual summit, was widely seen to be a pointed rebuke at the United States and its allies, which have repeatedly attempted to urge New Delhi into reducing its longstanding relations with Moscow. This comes comes after earlier American measures, notably additional import duties on India because of its purchase of discounted Russian crude.

“Russia is a dependable source of fuel and anything needed for the development of India’s economy,” the Russian president said. “We are ready to keep securing the steady supply of fuel for the booming Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, without naming energy specifically, reinforced the sentiment by noting that “energy security has been a strong and vital foundation of the Indo-Russian partnership.”

Challenging American Pressure

Prior to the summit, via a TV appearance, Putin had questioned Washington's stance on India's dealings with Russia. The president questioned, “When Washington is entitled to buy our uranium, then why can't India enjoy the same privilege?”

This trip marked his maiden visit to India following the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi engaged in a deliberate show to display that the personal rapport between the heads of state was undisturbed.

A Warm Welcome

Employing an rare gesture, Prime Minister Modi met Putin upon his arrival. The two embraced warmly akin to longtime companions before having a closed-door supper on Thursday evening.

Modi referred to India's partnership with Russia as “a guiding star” and added it was “built on reciprocal esteem and deep trust.”

Strengthening Bilateral Ties

The bilateral summit produced multiple key agreements across defence and trade relations. A major outcome was the finalization of an strategic roadmap extending until 2030, which targets to double commerce to $100bn each year by the end of the decade.

The leaders also vowed to recalibrate their defence ties. Even as Russia remains India's largest source of arms, the volume has declined lately as India aims to broaden its supply base.

Their communique stressed an agreement on the joint production of advanced defence platforms, although specific reference of systems like the Su-57 fighter jet were omitted.

Ultimately, Russia and India reiterated that in the “present intricate, strained, and volatile geopolitical situation, Russian-Indian ties remain resilient to foreign influence.”