🔗 Share this article

During a clear signal to the United States, Leader Vladimir Putin has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to provide “continuous” shipments of energy resources to India. These remarks came during a summit where both heads of state met in Delhi and asserted their relationship were “immune to outside influence.”

A Message For the Western Countries

The statement, made on Friday, was widely seen to be targeted at the United States and its allies, that have repeatedly attempted to pressure New Delhi into reducing its longstanding links with Moscow. The context comes after recent American measures, notably additional import duties against Indian goods over its purchase of Moscow's energy exports.

“Russia is a trustworthy supplier of fuel and all necessary for the development of India’s industry,” the Russian president remarked. “Moscow stands willing to continue guaranteeing the steady flow of resources for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, without mentioning oil explicitly, reinforced the theme by stating that “secure fuel supplies has been a strong and crucial cornerstone of the India-Russia partnership.”

Questioning American Pressure

Before the summit, during a TV appearance, Putin had criticized US interference over India's energy purchases. The president questioned, “When Washington has the right to buy our atomic materials, why shouldn’t India claim the same privilege?”

Putin's arrival represented his initial trip to India after the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and both sides made a visible effort to demonstrate that the personal rapport between the men remained intact.

A Personal Reception

Employing an rare move, the Indian PM welcomed directly Putin right off the plane. Both leaders exchanged a hearty embrace like close allies before having a private dinner on Thursday evening.

Modi referred to India's relationship with Russia as “a beacon” and added it was “built on mutual respect and strong faith.”

Reaffirming Strategic Partnerships

The bilateral summit produced a number of significant pacts regarding defence and financial collaboration. A major outcome was the signing of an strategic roadmap aimed at 2030, which targets to increase twofold commerce to $100bn each year by the 2030 deadline.

Additionally agreed to recalibrate their military partnership. While Russia is still India's biggest exporter of arms, the volume has diminished in recent years as India aims to diversify its procurement.

The joint statement highlighted plans for the joint production of sophisticated weapons platforms, although explicit details of systems like the fifth-generation aircraft were omitted.

Ultimately, Russia and India reiterated that during the “ongoing challenging, strained, and unpredictable international environment, their relationship continue to be strong to external pressure.”