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Amid a defiant message to the West, President Vladimir Putin stated to PM Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to provide “unbroken” shipments of energy resources to India. These remarks came during a summit where both heads of state met in New Delhi and declared their bilateral ties were “immune to external pressure.”

A Message For the Western Countries

The statement, delivered Friday, appeared to be a pointed rebuke at the United States and its allies, who have sought to compel New Delhi into reducing its longstanding links with Moscow. This comes comes after earlier Washington's moves, notably the imposition of trade penalties against Indian goods due to its purchase of Russian oil.

“Russia is a trustworthy source of oil and gas and all needed for the advancement of India’s industry,” Putin stated. “Russia is prepared to persist in ensuring the consistent flow of fuel for the booming Indian economy.”

Modi, without mentioning oil directly, echoed the focus by saying that “a stable energy base has been a robust and vital pillar of the Indo-Russian alliance.”

Questioning US Interference

Prior to the meeting, in a TV appearance, Putin had criticized American pressure over India's dealings with Russia. Putin stated, “Should America is entitled to buy our atomic materials, how can you deny India claim the same privilege?”

Putin's arrival was his initial visit to India after the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and the two nations engaged in a visible attempt to demonstrate that the friendship between the two leaders was undisturbed.

A Personal Welcome

Employing an rare gesture, Modi personally greeted Putin as he disembarked. The two embraced warmly like old friends before holding a private dinner together.

The Indian prime minister referred to India's partnership with Russia as “a lodestar” and noted it was “founded on reciprocal esteem and profound confidence.”

Expanding Bilateral Cooperation

Friday's talks yielded a number of important deals in the fields of defence and trade relations. A cornerstone agreement was the signing of an joint economic plan extending until 2030, which sets a goal to boost bilateral trade to $100bn annually by the 2030 deadline.

Additionally vowed to recalibrate their strategic cooperation. Although Russia continues to be India's largest supplier of weapons, the volume has declined lately as India works to diversify its supply base.

Their communique stressed an agreement on the co-development of cutting-edge weapons platforms, even if specific reference of purchases such as the fifth-generation aircraft were omitted.

In conclusion, both nations restated that amid the “ongoing challenging, difficult, and unpredictable global landscape, their relationship remain resilient to outside forces.”