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In a unambiguous message to the United States, President Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to guarantee “unbroken” shipments of crude oil to India. These remarks came when Putin and Modi met in Delhi and affirmed their partnership were “resistant to external pressure.”

A Message For the Western Countries

This affirmation, made on Friday, seemed to be a pointed rebuke at the United States and its allies, who have repeatedly attempted to pressure New Delhi into reducing its close relations with Moscow. The backdrop follows recent US actions, notably additional trade penalties against Indian goods due to its acquisition of Moscow's energy exports.

“Our nation is a trustworthy supplier of fuel and all required for the development of India’s industry,” the Russian president said. “Russia is prepared to keep securing the steady supply of resources for the booming Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, though he did not mentioning oil explicitly, supported the theme by noting that “a stable energy base has been a key and important pillar of the Indo-Russian cooperation.”

Challenging American Pressure

Prior to the talks, in a television interview, Putin had criticized American pressure regarding India's dealings with Russia. Putin stated, “If the US is entitled to buy our uranium, then why can't India have the identical right?”

Putin's arrival marked his first visit to India after the start of the conflict in Ukraine, and both sides engaged in a deliberate show to display that the personal rapport between the heads of state remained intact.

A Personal Reception

Employing an notable step, Prime Minister Modi personally greeted Putin upon his arrival. The two shared a warm hug as longtime companions before holding a private dinner the night before the summit.

The Indian prime minister referred to India's partnership with Russia as “a guiding star” and noted it was “built on reciprocal esteem and profound confidence.”

Strengthening Defence and Economic Ties

The meeting yielded several significant pacts across military and financial collaboration. A major outcome was the completion of an joint economic plan that runs to 2030, which aims to double bilateral trade to a hundred billion USD annually by the target year.

Furthermore pledged to restructure their military partnership. While Russia remains India's biggest exporter of arms, its share has declined lately as India has sought broaden its sources.

Their communique emphasized cooperation in the collaborative manufacturing of sophisticated defence platforms, although specific mention of systems like the Su-57 fighter jet were left out.

Overall, Russia and India reiterated that during the “present intricate, difficult, and unpredictable global landscape, Russian-Indian ties stay resilient to outside forces.”