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In a unambiguous signal to the West, Leader Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to maintain “unbroken” shipments of energy resources to India. This declaration came when Putin and Modi met in New Delhi and declared their relationship were “resilient to outside influence.”

A Signal For the United States

This affirmation, issued after the annual summit, appeared to be a direct challenge at western countries, who have tried to urge New Delhi into scaling back its historical links with Moscow. This comes is in response to previous US actions, including the imposition of import duties on India due to its acquisition of Russian oil.

“Moscow remains a reliable source of fuel and anything needed for the advancement of India’s industry,” Putin said. “Russia is prepared to persist in ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of energy for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, though he did not naming energy directly, echoed the sentiment by stating that “secure fuel supplies has been a strong and important pillar of the India-Russia alliance.”

Defying Washington's Stance

In the lead-up to the summit, via a television interview, Putin had questioned US interference regarding India's dealings with Russia. Putin stated, “If the US has the right to buy our atomic materials, why shouldn’t India claim the same privilege?”

Putin's arrival marked his first journey to India after the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi engaged in a clear show to project that the bond between the heads of state persisted strongly.

A Warm Welcome

In a rare step, Prime Minister Modi welcomed directly Putin upon his arrival. Both leaders shared a warm hug as longtime companions before holding a private dinner the night before the summit.

Modi referred to India's alliance with Russia as “a lodestar” and noted it was “founded on reciprocal esteem and strong faith.”

Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation

The meeting yielded a number of significant pacts regarding defence and economic cooperation. A major outcome was the finalization of an economic cooperation programme extending until 2030, which aims to double commerce to one hundred billion dollars each year by the target year.

The leaders also vowed to reshape their defence ties. Although Russia continues to be India's biggest supplier of defence equipment, the volume has declined in recent years as India works to diversify its procurement.

Their communique highlighted cooperation in the co-development of advanced military systems, even if specific details of purchases such as the fifth-generation aircraft were omitted.

In conclusion, Moscow and Delhi affirmed that in the “present intricate, tense, and uncertain international environment, Russian-Indian ties continue to be strong to outside forces.”