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In a unambiguous message to the United States, Leader Vladimir Putin informed PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to guarantee “uninterrupted” shipments of crude oil to India. The announcement came during a summit where both heads of state met in New Delhi and asserted their partnership were “resistant to external pressure.”

A Statement Directed at the Western Countries

This affirmation, delivered Friday, was widely seen to be a pointed rebuke at the United States and its allies, which have repeatedly attempted to compel New Delhi into scaling back its longstanding relations with Moscow. The context is in response to recent US actions, notably the introduction of trade penalties targeting New Delhi because of its buying of Moscow's energy exports.

“Moscow remains a dependable exporter of energy resources and all required for the advancement of India’s energy sector,” the Russian president remarked. “Russia is prepared to continue ensuring the consistent flow of energy for the booming Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, while not naming energy directly, supported the sentiment by saying that “secure fuel supplies has been a strong and important foundation of the Indo-Russian cooperation.”

Challenging US Interference

In the lead-up to the talks, via a media interview, Putin had criticized US interference over India's dealings with Russia. He argued, “If the US can claim the privilege to buy our uranium, why shouldn’t India enjoy the equivalent access?”

This trip represented his initial trip to India after the onset of the war in Ukraine, and the two nations undertook a clear show to display that the bond between the men persisted strongly.

A Warm Greeting

In a unusual step, Modi welcomed directly Putin upon his arrival. Both leaders embraced warmly like old friends before having a one-on-one meal the night before the summit.

The Indian prime minister in his statement called India's alliance with Russia as “a lodestar” and noted it was “founded on shared respect and profound confidence.”

Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation

The bilateral summit yielded multiple important deals across defence and economic cooperation. A cornerstone agreement was the signing of an strategic roadmap that runs to 2030, which targets to double bilateral trade to $100bn each year by the end of the decade.

The leaders also vowed to recalibrate their strategic cooperation. Although Russia remains India's largest source of weapons, its share has reduced in recent years as India has sought widen its supply base.

The joint statement stressed cooperation in the co-development of sophisticated military systems, though specific details of deals for the Sukhoi Su-57 were omitted.

Overall, Russia and India reiterated that amid the “present intricate, difficult, and uncertain geopolitical situation, the Indo-Russian partnership remain strong to outside forces.”