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Amid a clear message to the West, Leader Vladimir Putin has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to guarantee “unbroken” deliveries of energy resources to India. These remarks came during a summit where both heads of state met in New Delhi and affirmed their partnership were “resistant to outside influence.”

A Signal Directed at the West

Putin's comments, delivered Friday, was widely seen to be targeted at Washington, who have tried to compel New Delhi into curtailing its longstanding ties with Moscow. The backdrop follows previous American measures, such as the imposition of tariffs on India due to its acquisition of Moscow's energy exports.

“Moscow remains a trustworthy supplier of fuel and everything needed for the development of India’s economy,” Putin stated. “Russia is prepared to persist in guaranteeing the consistent flow of energy for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, without referencing crude directly, echoed the focus by stating that “secure fuel supplies has been a key and important foundation of the bilateral alliance.”

Questioning US Interference

In the lead-up to the meeting, via a TV appearance, Putin had criticized Washington's stance regarding India's dealings with Russia. The president questioned, “If the US has the right to buy our uranium, how can you deny India claim the equivalent access?”

The visit represented his initial journey to India following the onset of the war in Ukraine, and both sides engaged in a deliberate effort to display that the bond between the heads of state persisted strongly.

An Unusual Greeting

Employing an unusual move, the Indian PM welcomed directly Putin as he disembarked. The two shared a warm hug as longtime companions before having a one-on-one meal on Thursday evening.

Modi referred to India's alliance with Russia as “a lodestar” and noted it was “built on mutual respect and profound confidence.”

Reaffirming Strategic Cooperation

The meeting resulted in several important deals across defence and economic cooperation. One significant result was the signing of an joint economic plan that runs to 2030, which aims to increase twofold bilateral trade to a hundred billion USD per year by the end of the decade.

Furthermore agreed to recalibrate their defence ties. Even as Russia is still India's biggest source of arms, the volume has reduced over the past decade as India works to broaden its procurement.

The official release stressed plans for the co-development of sophisticated defence platforms, even if specific reference of systems like the fifth-generation aircraft were left out.

In conclusion, Moscow and Delhi restated that in the “ongoing challenging, strained, and volatile global landscape, the Indo-Russian partnership continue to be durable to foreign influence.”