During a clear message to Western nations, Leader Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to provide “uninterrupted” shipments of crude oil to India. This declaration came when Putin and Modi met in Delhi and declared their bilateral ties were “resistant to external pressure.”
This affirmation, issued after the annual summit, was widely seen to be a direct challenge at Washington, that have tried to pressure New Delhi into reducing its close ties with Moscow. The backdrop follows recent Washington's moves, notably the introduction of trade penalties against Indian goods over its buying of Russian oil.
“Russia is a trustworthy supplier of energy resources and everything required for the development of India’s industry,” the Russian president remarked. “We are ready to continue ensuring the uninterrupted supply of resources for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”
The Indian leader, without referencing crude specifically, supported the focus by saying that “secure fuel supplies has been a robust and important foundation of the India-Russia cooperation.”
In the lead-up to the summit, during a television interview, Putin had criticized Washington's stance on India's dealings with Russia. He argued, “When Washington has the right to buy our nuclear fuel, how can you deny India have the identical right?”
This trip marked his initial journey to India since the start of the situation in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi engaged in a deliberate show to project that the friendship between the men persisted strongly.
Taking an rare gesture, Modi welcomed directly Putin as he disembarked. The two exchanged a hearty embrace akin to close allies before having a closed-door supper on Thursday evening.
The Indian prime minister referred to India's partnership with Russia as “a lodestar” and noted it was “built on mutual respect and strong faith.”
The meeting resulted in several key agreements in the fields of military and economic cooperation. A cornerstone agreement was the finalization of an strategic roadmap aimed at 2030, which aims to increase twofold mutual trade to a hundred billion USD each year by the end of the decade.
The leaders also agreed to reshape their defence ties. Although Russia is still India's biggest exporter of defence equipment, this role has declined over the past decade as India works to diversify its supply base.
The joint statement stressed cooperation in the joint production of advanced military systems, though direct mention of systems like the Su-57 fighter jet were omitted.
In conclusion, Russia and India affirmed that amid the “current complex, strained, and unpredictable global landscape, Russian-Indian ties continue to be resilient to foreign influence.”
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