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In a clear signal to the West, Leader Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to guarantee “unbroken” supplies of energy resources to India. These remarks came when Putin and Modi met in the Indian capital and asserted their partnership were “resistant to foreign coercion.”

A Signal Directed at the West

Putin's comments, made on Friday, was widely seen to be a direct challenge at western countries, which have tried to pressure New Delhi into scaling back its historical links with Moscow. This comes is in response to recent Washington's moves, including additional trade penalties targeting New Delhi due to its purchase of Russian oil.

“Moscow remains a reliable supplier of energy resources and everything necessary for the growth of India’s economy,” he said. “We are ready to keep securing the uninterrupted supply of resources for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, while not mentioning oil specifically, reinforced the theme by noting that “energy security has been a robust and important cornerstone of the India-Russia cooperation.”

Defying US Interference

In the lead-up to the summit, in a television interview, Putin had questioned Washington's stance on India's oil imports. Putin stated, “When Washington has the right to buy our atomic materials, how can you deny India have the same privilege?”

This trip was his initial visit to India after the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi undertook a deliberate attempt to project that the bond between the heads of state was undisturbed.

An Unusual Reception

Employing an unusual gesture, the Indian PM welcomed directly Putin right off the plane. The two shared a warm hug akin to longtime companions before having a closed-door supper together.

Modi later described India's partnership with Russia as “a guiding star” and added it was “based on shared respect and strong faith.”

Expanding Strategic Ties

The bilateral summit produced multiple key agreements across military and economic cooperation. A cornerstone agreement was the signing of an strategic roadmap extending until 2030, which targets to increase twofold bilateral trade to a hundred billion USD annually by the target year.

Additionally pledged to restructure their defence ties. Even as Russia is still India's biggest supplier of defence equipment, its share has declined lately as India works to broaden its sources.

The official release emphasized plans for the joint production of advanced defence platforms, though explicit details of deals for the Su-57 fighter jet were not made.

Ultimately, both nations affirmed that amid the “present intricate, strained, and uncertain global landscape, the Indo-Russian partnership stay strong to foreign influence.”