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In a unambiguous signal to Western nations, President Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia remains committed to provide “continuous” shipments of energy resources to India. The announcement came during a summit where both heads of state met in the Indian capital and affirmed their bilateral ties were “resilient to foreign coercion.”

A Statement Directed at the Western Countries

Putin's comments, issued after the annual summit, appeared to be a pointed rebuke at western countries, that have repeatedly attempted to compel New Delhi into scaling back its longstanding ties with Moscow. This comes follows recent Washington's moves, including the introduction of tariffs against Indian goods over its purchase of Moscow's energy exports.

“Our nation is a reliable source of fuel and all required for the development of India’s energy sector,” the Russian president said. “Russia is prepared to persist in ensuring the consistent delivery of energy for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, without naming energy directly, echoed the theme by saying that “a stable energy base has been a key and vital foundation of the bilateral alliance.”

Questioning American Pressure

In the lead-up to the talks, in a TV appearance, Putin had challenged US interference regarding India's oil imports. He argued, “When Washington is entitled to buy our atomic materials, how can you deny India enjoy the equivalent access?”

Putin's arrival marked his initial journey to India after the onset of the conflict in Ukraine, and the two nations engaged in a deliberate effort to display that the friendship between the heads of state remained intact.

A Warm Welcome

In a notable step, Modi met Putin as he disembarked. They exchanged a hearty embrace as longtime companions before having a private dinner on Thursday evening.

He later described India's partnership with Russia as “a guiding star” and said it was “based on reciprocal esteem and strong faith.”

Expanding Defence and Economic Cooperation

The meeting yielded a number of important deals in the fields of military and financial collaboration. One significant result was the finalization of an economic cooperation programme that runs to 2030, which sets a goal to double bilateral trade to a hundred billion USD each year by the end of the decade.

Additionally agreed to reshape their defence ties. Although Russia is still India's biggest source of weapons, this role has reduced over the past decade as India works to broaden its sources.

The joint statement emphasized an agreement on the collaborative manufacturing of sophisticated weapons platforms, even if specific reference of systems like the Su-57 fighter jet were left out.

In conclusion, Russia and India restated that during the “current complex, strained, and unpredictable international environment, the Indo-Russian partnership continue to be strong to external pressure.”