🔗 Share this article

During a unambiguous statement to Western nations, Leader Vladimir Putin informed PM Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to provide “continuous” supplies of oil to India. This declaration came as the two leaders met in the Indian capital and affirmed their partnership were “immune to foreign coercion.”

A Signal Aimed at the West

The statement, made on Friday, seemed to be a direct challenge at the United States and its allies, which have tried to pressure New Delhi into reducing its longstanding relations with Moscow. The context is in response to recent Washington's moves, notably the imposition of tariffs targeting New Delhi due to its purchase of discounted Russian crude.

“Our nation is a trustworthy exporter of energy resources and all required for the advancement of India’s economy,” Putin stated. “Moscow stands willing to keep securing the consistent delivery of energy for the rapidly growing Indian economy.”

Prime Minister Modi, though he did not mentioning oil explicitly, reinforced the sentiment by noting that “a stable energy base has been a key and important foundation of the Indo-Russian partnership.”

Defying Washington's Stance

In the lead-up to the talks, during a TV appearance, Putin had questioned Washington's stance on India's oil imports. He argued, “If the US can claim the privilege to buy our atomic materials, how can you deny India have the equivalent access?”

The visit was his initial trip to India after the start of the conflict in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi engaged in a visible attempt to project that the bond between the two leaders remained intact.

An Unusual Reception

Taking an unusual gesture, Prime Minister Modi personally greeted Putin upon his arrival. Both leaders exchanged a hearty embrace as old friends before having a one-on-one meal together.

Modi referred to India's alliance with Russia as “a guiding star” and noted it was “built on mutual respect and profound confidence.”

Expanding Bilateral Partnerships

The bilateral summit resulted in several key agreements in the fields of military and financial collaboration. A major outcome was the signing of an joint economic plan that runs to 2030, which aims to double bilateral trade to $100bn annually by the target year.

Furthermore agreed to recalibrate their military partnership. Even as Russia is still India's biggest exporter of weapons, this role has diminished over the past decade as India has sought widen its supply base.

The joint statement stressed an agreement on the joint production of advanced defence platforms, although direct reference of deals for the fifth-generation aircraft were omitted.

Overall, Russia and India reiterated that during the “current complex, tense, and unpredictable geopolitical situation, Russian-Indian ties stay durable to external pressure.”