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Amid a unambiguous message to Western nations, Leader Vladimir Putin informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to maintain “continuous” shipments of oil to India. The announcement came when Putin and Modi met in Delhi and declared their relationship were “immune to outside influence.”

A Statement Aimed at the Western Countries

The statement, delivered Friday, was widely seen to be a pointed rebuke at the United States and its allies, which have tried to pressure New Delhi into reducing its historical links with Moscow. The context follows earlier US actions, notably the imposition of import duties targeting New Delhi over its acquisition of Russian oil.

“Russia is a trustworthy supplier of fuel and everything required for the growth of India’s industry,” he stated. “Moscow stands willing to keep securing the steady flow of fuel for the booming Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, while not mentioning oil explicitly, supported the focus by noting that “secure fuel supplies has been a strong and important pillar of the Indo-Russian cooperation.”

Defying Washington's Stance

Before the summit, in a television interview, Putin had criticized US interference regarding India's oil imports. Putin stated, “If the US has the right to buy our uranium, why shouldn’t India claim the identical right?”

The visit was his maiden journey to India since the onset of the war in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi engaged in a visible show to display that the bond between the men was undisturbed.

A Personal Welcome

Taking an rare gesture, Prime Minister Modi met Putin as he disembarked. The two exchanged a hearty embrace as longtime companions before holding a closed-door supper on Thursday evening.

Modi later described India's partnership with Russia as “a lodestar” and noted it was “founded on shared respect and deep trust.”

Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation

Friday's talks yielded several significant pacts regarding military and economic cooperation. A cornerstone agreement was the finalization of an joint economic plan aimed at 2030, which targets to increase twofold mutual trade to a hundred billion USD each year by the target year.

The leaders also vowed to restructure their defence ties. Even as Russia is still India's primary source of weapons, the volume has declined in recent years as India aims to diversify its procurement.

The joint statement stressed an agreement on the collaborative manufacturing of advanced military systems, even if direct reference of purchases such as the Sukhoi Su-57 were not made.

In conclusion, Russia and India restated that during the “current complex, difficult, and volatile geopolitical situation, the Indo-Russian partnership remain strong to foreign influence.”