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Amid a clear message to Western nations, President Vladimir Putin stated to PM Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to guarantee “uninterrupted” supplies of crude oil to India. These remarks came as the two leaders met in New Delhi and asserted their bilateral ties were “immune to foreign coercion.”

A Signal Directed at the United States

Putin's comments, issued after the annual summit, appeared to be a pointed rebuke at the United States and its allies, which have sought to compel New Delhi into curtailing its historical relations with Moscow. The backdrop is in response to previous American measures, notably additional import duties against Indian goods due to its purchase of discounted Russian crude.

“Our nation is a reliable exporter of oil and gas and everything needed for the advancement of India’s energy sector,” Putin said. “Moscow stands willing to persist in guaranteeing the steady supply of fuel for the booming Indian economy.”

The Indian leader, without naming energy explicitly, reinforced the sentiment by noting that “a stable energy base has been a strong and important pillar of the bilateral cooperation.”

Challenging Washington's Stance

In the lead-up to the summit, via a television interview, Putin had questioned US interference on India's energy purchases. The president questioned, “Should America is entitled to buy our nuclear fuel, why shouldn’t India enjoy the equivalent access?”

This trip marked his maiden visit to India since the onset of the war in Ukraine, and both sides undertook a clear show to project that the personal rapport between the heads of state persisted strongly.

An Unusual Greeting

Employing an rare move, Prime Minister Modi personally greeted Putin as he disembarked. They embraced warmly akin to old friends before enjoying a one-on-one meal the night before the summit.

The Indian prime minister later described India's relationship with Russia as “a lodestar” and noted it was “built on reciprocal esteem and deep trust.”

Strengthening Strategic Cooperation

The meeting resulted in a number of significant pacts in the fields of military and financial collaboration. A major outcome was the completion of an strategic roadmap extending until 2030, which sets a goal to boost commerce to $100bn annually by the 2030 deadline.

The leaders also pledged to recalibrate their strategic cooperation. While Russia is still India's biggest source of defence equipment, its share has declined lately as India aims to diversify its sources.

Their communique emphasized an agreement on the collaborative manufacturing of advanced weapons platforms, even if specific mention of purchases such as the Su-57 fighter jet were left out.

Overall, Russia and India affirmed that amid the “ongoing challenging, strained, and uncertain international environment, Russian-Indian ties remain resilient to outside forces.”