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In a defiant signal to the United States, President Vladimir Putin informed PM Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to guarantee “uninterrupted” supplies of energy resources to India. The announcement came when Putin and Modi met in New Delhi and affirmed their bilateral ties were “resilient to foreign coercion.”

A Statement Aimed at the United States

The statement, issued after the annual summit, appeared to be a pointed rebuke at Washington, which have tried to pressure New Delhi into curtailing its close links with Moscow. The backdrop follows recent US actions, including the introduction of import duties against Indian goods because of its purchase of discounted Russian crude.

“Russia is a trustworthy supplier of energy resources and all needed for the growth of India’s economy,” he stated. “Russia is prepared to keep ensuring the uninterrupted supply of fuel for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, though he did not mentioning oil directly, reinforced the focus by stating that “energy security has been a strong and crucial pillar of the bilateral cooperation.”

Defying Washington's Stance

Prior to the meeting, during a television interview, Putin had criticized Washington's stance on India's oil imports. He argued, “If the US has the right to buy our atomic materials, how can you deny India have the identical right?”

The visit was his first trip to India following the start of the conflict in Ukraine, and both sides engaged in a clear show to demonstrate that the bond between the two leaders was undisturbed.

A Personal Reception

Employing an notable move, Modi welcomed directly Putin right off the plane. The two exchanged a hearty embrace like close allies before enjoying a private dinner on Thursday evening.

The Indian prime minister referred to India's partnership with Russia as “a beacon” and said it was “founded on mutual respect and strong faith.”

Reaffirming Defence and Economic Partnerships

The bilateral summit yielded several key agreements in the fields of defence and economic cooperation. A major outcome was the signing of an joint economic plan aimed at 2030, which aims to increase twofold bilateral trade to one hundred billion dollars each year by the end of the decade.

Furthermore pledged to recalibrate their strategic cooperation. Even as Russia is still India's largest source of defence equipment, its share has diminished over the past decade as India has sought widen its sources.

The joint statement highlighted cooperation in the joint production of advanced military systems, although specific reference of systems like the fifth-generation aircraft were not made.

Overall, both nations restated that during the “ongoing challenging, difficult, and unpredictable international environment, the Indo-Russian partnership stay strong to external pressure.”