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Amid a clear statement to Western nations, President Vladimir Putin stated to PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to maintain “unbroken” deliveries of oil to India. This declaration came during a summit where both heads of state met in New Delhi and declared their partnership were “resilient to foreign coercion.”

A Statement For the West

The statement, issued after the annual summit, seemed to be a direct challenge at western countries, which have tried to urge New Delhi into scaling back its longstanding ties with Moscow. This comes follows earlier American measures, notably the introduction of trade penalties targeting New Delhi over its buying of Moscow's energy exports.

“Our nation is a trustworthy source of fuel and anything needed for the growth of India’s energy sector,” Putin remarked. “We are ready to continue ensuring the consistent flow of energy for the booming Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, though he did not mentioning oil explicitly, echoed the sentiment by stating that “secure fuel supplies has been a robust and important foundation of the bilateral cooperation.”

Questioning Washington's Stance

In the lead-up to the meeting, via a TV appearance, Putin had questioned Washington's stance over India's oil imports. Putin stated, “Should America has the right to buy our uranium, then why can't India claim the identical right?”

Putin's arrival was his initial journey to India following the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and the two nations undertook a clear attempt to project that the personal rapport between the heads of state remained intact.

A Personal Reception

Taking an rare move, the Indian PM personally greeted Putin as he disembarked. They shared a warm hug akin to close allies before holding a one-on-one meal the night before the summit.

Modi later described India's alliance with Russia as “a beacon” and noted it was “founded on mutual respect and strong faith.”

Reaffirming Strategic Ties

Friday's talks resulted in several key agreements regarding defence and financial collaboration. One significant result was the finalization of an economic cooperation programme extending until 2030, which sets a goal to boost commerce to $100bn per year by the end of the decade.

The leaders also pledged to recalibrate their strategic cooperation. Although Russia continues to be India's biggest source of arms, this role has reduced in recent years as India has sought widen its sources.

The joint statement highlighted cooperation in the collaborative manufacturing of cutting-edge military systems, although explicit reference of systems like the Su-57 fighter jet were left out.

Overall, Moscow and Delhi reiterated that amid the “current complex, difficult, and volatile international environment, the Indo-Russian partnership remain strong to external pressure.”