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Amid a defiant message to Western nations, President Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to guarantee “continuous” deliveries of oil to India. The announcement came when Putin and Modi met in New Delhi and declared their relationship were “resilient to outside influence.”

A Signal Aimed at the West

The statement, made on Friday, was widely seen to be targeted at Washington, which have tried to compel New Delhi into reducing its longstanding relations with Moscow. The backdrop is in response to earlier American measures, notably the imposition of trade penalties against Indian goods over its acquisition of Russian oil.

“Russia is a reliable source of energy resources and all needed for the development of India’s economy,” Putin remarked. “Moscow stands willing to keep securing the steady supply of fuel for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

Modi, without naming energy specifically, supported the focus by saying that “secure fuel supplies has been a strong and vital pillar of the bilateral partnership.”

Challenging American Pressure

Before the summit, during a TV appearance, Putin had questioned American pressure regarding India's energy purchases. Putin stated, “When Washington has the right to buy our nuclear fuel, how can you deny India have the identical right?”

Putin's arrival marked his initial trip to India following the onset of the conflict in Ukraine, and the two nations made a clear attempt to demonstrate that the personal rapport between the heads of state was undisturbed.

A Personal Greeting

Taking an notable step, Modi met Putin right off the plane. They exchanged a hearty embrace like longtime companions before having a private dinner the night before the summit.

He later described India's relationship with Russia as “a guiding star” and noted it was “founded on reciprocal esteem and strong faith.”

Strengthening Defence and Economic Ties

The bilateral summit resulted in a number of significant pacts in the fields of defence and financial collaboration. One significant result was the completion of an joint economic plan aimed at 2030, which sets a goal to double bilateral trade to $100bn annually by the target year.

Additionally vowed to reshape their strategic cooperation. While Russia continues to be India's biggest source of arms, its share has declined in recent years as India aims to widen its procurement.

Their communique highlighted plans for the joint production of advanced military systems, though direct mention of systems like the fifth-generation aircraft were not made.

In conclusion, Russia and India restated that in the “ongoing challenging, tense, and volatile international environment, the Indo-Russian partnership continue to be resilient to foreign influence.”