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In a clear message to the West, President Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to maintain “continuous” shipments of oil to India. These remarks came during a summit where both heads of state met in New Delhi and asserted their relationship were “resilient to external pressure.”

A Message Aimed at the Western Countries

This affirmation, delivered Friday, was widely seen to be a direct challenge at Washington, who have repeatedly attempted to pressure New Delhi into reducing its close relations with Moscow. The backdrop is in response to recent US actions, including the imposition of tariffs on India because of its buying of Moscow's energy exports.

“Moscow remains a trustworthy source of fuel and all needed for the development of India’s industry,” he remarked. “Moscow stands willing to continue ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of resources for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, though he did not mentioning oil specifically, echoed the focus by saying that “secure fuel supplies has been a strong and important pillar of the Indo-Russian alliance.”

Defying US Interference

Before the summit, in a TV appearance, Putin had challenged US interference on India's dealings with Russia. Putin stated, “Should America has the right to buy our uranium, how can you deny India claim the equivalent access?”

Putin's arrival was his initial journey to India after the start of the conflict in Ukraine, and both sides engaged in a visible effort to display that the friendship between the men remained intact.

A Personal Reception

Taking an notable gesture, Prime Minister Modi met Putin as he disembarked. Both leaders exchanged a hearty embrace as old friends before having a private dinner together.

He later described India's partnership with Russia as “a lodestar” and added it was “built on mutual respect and strong faith.”

Reaffirming Strategic Partnerships

The meeting resulted in a number of key agreements in the fields of military and trade relations. A cornerstone agreement was the finalization of an economic cooperation programme that runs to 2030, which aims to double commerce to $100bn each year by the target year.

The leaders also vowed to reshape their defence ties. While Russia remains India's biggest source of arms, its share has reduced in recent years as India aims to widen its supply base.

Their communique emphasized plans for the co-development of sophisticated weapons platforms, though specific details of deals for the Sukhoi Su-57 were not made.

Overall, Moscow and Delhi affirmed that during the “present intricate, difficult, and uncertain global landscape, their relationship stay durable to external pressure.”