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In a unambiguous message to the United States, President Vladimir Putin stated to PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to maintain “continuous” shipments of energy resources to India. This declaration came during a summit where both heads of state met in Delhi and declared their bilateral ties were “immune to foreign coercion.”

A Message Directed at the West

The statement, delivered Friday, seemed to be a direct challenge at the United States and its allies, that have repeatedly attempted to compel New Delhi into reducing its close links with Moscow. This comes comes after earlier US actions, such as the introduction of trade penalties on India because of its acquisition of discounted Russian crude.

“Moscow remains a trustworthy supplier of energy resources and anything required for the growth of India’s industry,” he said. “We are ready to continue guaranteeing the consistent delivery of energy for the booming Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, though he did not naming energy specifically, reinforced the sentiment by noting that “energy security has been a robust and vital foundation of the Indo-Russian alliance.”

Challenging American Pressure

Before the talks, in a TV appearance, Putin had questioned American pressure regarding India's oil imports. Putin stated, “When Washington has the right to buy our atomic materials, how can you deny India enjoy the identical right?”

Putin's arrival was his maiden visit to India since the onset of the war in Ukraine, and the two nations undertook a clear attempt to display that the bond between the men was undisturbed.

A Personal Greeting

In a notable gesture, the Indian PM welcomed directly Putin right off the plane. The two shared a warm hug like longtime companions before holding a closed-door supper the night before the summit.

Modi in his statement called India's alliance with Russia as “a guiding star” and noted it was “founded on mutual respect and deep trust.”

Expanding Strategic Partnerships

Friday's talks produced multiple key agreements regarding military and financial collaboration. One significant result was the finalization of an joint economic plan extending until 2030, which aims to increase twofold mutual trade to a hundred billion USD per year by the end of the decade.

The leaders also agreed to recalibrate their military partnership. While Russia is still India's biggest source of defence equipment, the volume has reduced in recent years as India aims to broaden its sources.

The joint statement emphasized an agreement on the co-development of cutting-edge defence platforms, though direct reference of systems like the Sukhoi Su-57 were left out.

In conclusion, both nations reiterated that amid the “ongoing challenging, tense, and volatile geopolitical situation, their relationship continue to be strong to external pressure.”