🔗 Share this article

In a defiant message to the West, Leader Vladimir Putin informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to guarantee “continuous” shipments of energy resources to India. These remarks came during a summit where both heads of state met in Delhi and affirmed their partnership were “immune to foreign coercion.”

A Message Aimed at the United States

This affirmation, made on Friday, was widely seen to be a pointed rebuke at western countries, which have sought to urge New Delhi into reducing its historical ties with Moscow. The context comes after previous American measures, such as additional trade penalties on India due to its purchase of Russian oil.

“Russia is a trustworthy supplier of fuel and all required for the growth of India’s energy sector,” Putin stated. “Moscow stands willing to persist in guaranteeing the consistent flow of energy for the booming Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, though he did not referencing crude directly, reinforced the focus by stating that “a stable energy base has been a strong and vital foundation of the India-Russia cooperation.”

Questioning American Pressure

Before the talks, in a media interview, Putin had challenged US interference on India's dealings with Russia. The president questioned, “If the US can claim the privilege to buy our atomic materials, then why can't India claim the same privilege?”

This trip marked his first journey to India since the onset of the war in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi undertook a visible attempt to demonstrate that the personal rapport between the heads of state was undisturbed.

A Warm Greeting

In a unusual gesture, Modi welcomed directly Putin as he disembarked. They embraced warmly as old friends before having a closed-door supper on Thursday evening.

Modi later described India's partnership with Russia as “a guiding star” and added it was “based on shared respect and deep trust.”

Reaffirming Defence and Economic Cooperation

The meeting resulted in several important deals in the fields of military and trade relations. One significant result was the signing of an strategic roadmap aimed at 2030, which targets to boost commerce to $100bn each year by the end of the decade.

The leaders also vowed to reshape their military partnership. Although Russia continues to be India's largest source of weapons, the volume has diminished in recent years as India aims to broaden its sources.

The official release stressed cooperation in the collaborative manufacturing of advanced weapons platforms, though direct details of systems like the Su-57 fighter jet were omitted.

In conclusion, both nations reiterated that in the “ongoing challenging, strained, and unpredictable international environment, their relationship remain strong to outside forces.”