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Amid a defiant statement to the United States, Leader Vladimir Putin stated to PM Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to maintain “unbroken” deliveries of crude oil to India. These remarks came when Putin and Modi met in the Indian capital and asserted their bilateral ties were “immune to external pressure.”

A Statement Directed at the Western Countries

The statement, made on Friday, appeared to be targeted at Washington, which have sought to pressure New Delhi into reducing its longstanding ties with Moscow. This comes is in response to previous American measures, including the introduction of trade penalties targeting New Delhi over its buying of Moscow's energy exports.

“Russia is a trustworthy source of oil and gas and everything required for the advancement of India’s energy sector,” he said. “Russia is prepared to persist in securing the steady supply of resources for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, though he did not mentioning oil directly, supported the theme by saying that “secure fuel supplies has been a robust and vital pillar of the Indo-Russian partnership.”

Defying American Pressure

Prior to the talks, during a media interview, Putin had questioned US interference regarding India's oil imports. The president questioned, “Should America is entitled to buy our atomic materials, why shouldn’t India enjoy the identical right?”

Putin's arrival represented his first journey to India following the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi undertook a clear effort to display that the bond between the heads of state was undisturbed.

An Unusual Reception

Taking an unusual step, the Indian PM met Putin right off the plane. Both leaders exchanged a hearty embrace like longtime companions before enjoying a private dinner together.

The Indian prime minister later described India's alliance with Russia as “a lodestar” and added it was “based on shared respect and strong faith.”

Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation

The meeting yielded multiple significant pacts across military and financial collaboration. A major outcome was the completion of an joint economic plan aimed at 2030, which aims to increase twofold commerce to a hundred billion USD each year by the end of the decade.

The leaders also agreed to restructure their strategic cooperation. Although Russia continues to be India's biggest supplier of arms, the volume has declined in recent years as India aims to widen its supply base.

The joint statement stressed plans for the co-development of sophisticated military systems, even if explicit details of systems like the Su-57 fighter jet were omitted.

Overall, Moscow and Delhi restated that during the “current complex, strained, and volatile global landscape, their relationship stay strong to outside forces.”