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In a clear message to the United States, Leader Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to maintain “uninterrupted” shipments of energy resources to India. This declaration came as the two leaders met in New Delhi and asserted their bilateral ties were “immune to outside influence.”

A Message Directed at the West

Putin's comments, delivered Friday, was widely seen to be a direct challenge at western countries, who have sought to urge New Delhi into reducing its longstanding relations with Moscow. This comes comes after previous American measures, notably additional trade penalties on India due to its acquisition of Moscow's energy exports.

“Our nation is a reliable source of oil and gas and all needed for the growth of India’s energy sector,” the Russian president said. “We are ready to continue guaranteeing the consistent flow of resources for the booming Indian economy.”

Modi, while not naming energy directly, reinforced the sentiment by saying that “energy security has been a key and vital cornerstone of the bilateral partnership.”

Challenging Washington's Stance

In the lead-up to the talks, via a TV appearance, Putin had criticized Washington's stance on India's oil imports. The president questioned, “If the US is entitled to buy our atomic materials, how can you deny India have the equivalent access?”

This trip was his first visit to India after the onset of the conflict in Ukraine, and both sides made a visible show to project that the bond between the heads of state remained intact.

A Warm Reception

In a rare move, Modi personally greeted Putin upon his arrival. They shared a warm hug akin to longtime companions before holding a one-on-one meal on Thursday evening.

Modi in his statement called India's partnership with Russia as “a guiding star” and noted it was “built on reciprocal esteem and strong faith.”

Expanding Defence and Economic Ties

The bilateral summit produced a number of important deals regarding military and economic cooperation. One significant result was the finalization of an economic cooperation programme extending until 2030, which targets to double commerce to one hundred billion dollars annually by the target year.

Furthermore vowed to restructure their defence ties. While Russia is still India's primary source of defence equipment, this role has diminished over the past decade as India has sought diversify its procurement.

Their communique emphasized plans for the co-development of advanced military systems, although explicit details of purchases such as the fifth-generation aircraft were omitted.

Ultimately, Russia and India reiterated that amid the “ongoing challenging, difficult, and uncertain geopolitical situation, Russian-Indian ties stay strong to foreign influence.”