🔗 Share this article

During a clear signal to the West, President Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to guarantee “unbroken” shipments of crude oil to India. The announcement came when Putin and Modi met in the Indian capital and declared their bilateral ties were “resilient to outside influence.”

A Message Aimed at the Western Countries

The statement, issued after the annual summit, seemed to be a direct challenge at the United States and its allies, who have sought to compel New Delhi into curtailing its close links with Moscow. This comes comes after previous American measures, including the imposition of import duties targeting New Delhi due to its acquisition of Moscow's energy exports.

“Russia is a reliable supplier of energy resources and all necessary for the development of India’s industry,” the Russian president said. “Russia is prepared to persist in ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of resources for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Modi, while not referencing crude explicitly, reinforced the sentiment by saying that “energy security has been a robust and important pillar of the Indo-Russian partnership.”

Challenging Washington's Stance

In the lead-up to the meeting, via a TV appearance, Putin had questioned American pressure regarding India's dealings with Russia. The president questioned, “When Washington can claim the privilege to buy our nuclear fuel, how can you deny India enjoy the identical right?”

This trip was his maiden visit to India since the onset of the war in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi made a deliberate attempt to demonstrate that the bond between the men was undisturbed.

A Personal Reception

Employing an notable move, Prime Minister Modi met Putin right off the plane. The two embraced warmly akin to close allies before enjoying a one-on-one meal the night before the summit.

He in his statement called India's alliance with Russia as “a beacon” and added it was “founded on shared respect and deep trust.”

Strengthening Bilateral Ties

The meeting resulted in a number of significant pacts in the fields of military and trade relations. A major outcome was the finalization of an strategic roadmap aimed at 2030, which aims to boost mutual trade to $100bn annually by the 2030 deadline.

The leaders also agreed to restructure their defence ties. While Russia remains India's primary exporter of defence equipment, the volume has reduced over the past decade as India aims to broaden its supply base.

The joint statement emphasized an agreement on the co-development of cutting-edge defence platforms, though direct details of purchases such as the Sukhoi Su-57 were not made.

Ultimately, Russia and India affirmed that during the “present intricate, tense, and unpredictable geopolitical situation, their relationship continue to be durable to external pressure.”