In a unambiguous message to the United States, President Vladimir Putin informed PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to maintain “uninterrupted” shipments of crude oil to India. This declaration came during a summit where both heads of state met in Delhi and asserted their partnership were “resistant to external pressure.”
This affirmation, issued after the annual summit, was widely seen to be a pointed rebuke at the United States and its allies, which have tried to compel New Delhi into reducing its close ties with Moscow. This comes comes after previous Washington's moves, notably the introduction of tariffs targeting New Delhi due to its purchase of Moscow's energy exports.
“Our nation is a trustworthy source of energy resources and everything needed for the advancement of India’s industry,” Putin remarked. “We are ready to continue guaranteeing the consistent supply of energy for the booming Indian economy.”
Modi, without naming energy specifically, supported the theme by noting that “secure fuel supplies has been a robust and important pillar of the Indo-Russian cooperation.”
In the lead-up to the meeting, in a television interview, Putin had criticized US interference over India's energy purchases. The president questioned, “If the US has the right to buy our uranium, then why can't India have the equivalent access?”
This trip represented his initial trip to India following the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi undertook a visible effort to demonstrate that the personal rapport between the heads of state remained intact.
Taking an notable step, the Indian PM met Putin right off the plane. They shared a warm hug like longtime companions before having a one-on-one meal on Thursday evening.
Modi later described India's alliance with Russia as “a beacon” and said it was “based on shared respect and deep trust.”
The meeting yielded multiple key agreements in the fields of military and economic cooperation. One significant result was the completion of an joint economic plan aimed at 2030, which targets to increase twofold bilateral trade to $100bn each year by the end of the decade.
Additionally agreed to restructure their defence ties. While Russia remains India's biggest supplier of arms, this role has declined in recent years as India aims to diversify its procurement.
The official release stressed plans for the joint production of cutting-edge weapons platforms, though direct details of purchases such as the Sukhoi Su-57 were not made.
Overall, both nations restated that in the “ongoing challenging, strained, and unpredictable global landscape, Russian-Indian ties stay strong to foreign influence.”
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