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During a defiant message to the United States, Leader Vladimir Putin informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia is prepared to provide “continuous” deliveries of crude oil to India. These remarks came as the two leaders met in New Delhi and declared their relationship were “resistant to outside influence.”

A Statement Directed at the West

The statement, delivered Friday, seemed to be a direct challenge at western countries, that have sought to pressure New Delhi into scaling back its historical ties with Moscow. The context follows earlier Washington's moves, notably the introduction of tariffs targeting New Delhi due to its acquisition of discounted Russian crude.

“Moscow remains a reliable supplier of oil and gas and all necessary for the development of India’s industry,” the Russian president stated. “We are ready to continue ensuring the consistent supply of fuel for the fast-expanding Indian economy.”

Modi, without referencing crude explicitly, reinforced the focus by stating that “secure fuel supplies has been a strong and crucial foundation of the India-Russia partnership.”

Challenging American Pressure

In the lead-up to the talks, via a TV appearance, Putin had challenged US interference regarding India's dealings with Russia. The president questioned, “Should America is entitled to buy our atomic materials, why shouldn’t India have the identical right?”

Putin's arrival was his first journey to India since the start of the situation in Ukraine, and both sides made a deliberate effort to demonstrate that the personal rapport between the men remained intact.

An Unusual Greeting

Employing an rare move, the Indian PM personally greeted Putin right off the plane. Both leaders exchanged a hearty embrace as close allies before enjoying a one-on-one meal on Thursday evening.

Modi in his statement called India's partnership with Russia as “a guiding star” and added it was “founded on shared respect and strong faith.”

Reaffirming Strategic Cooperation

Friday's talks produced a number of important deals in the fields of military and economic cooperation. A major outcome was the finalization of an joint economic plan that runs to 2030, which targets to boost mutual trade to $100bn annually by the 2030 deadline.

The leaders also pledged to reshape their defence ties. Even as Russia continues to be India's primary source of arms, the volume has diminished over the past decade as India aims to diversify its procurement.

The joint statement highlighted plans for the co-development of sophisticated weapons platforms, even if specific details of systems like the Su-57 fighter jet were not made.

Overall, both nations restated that in the “present intricate, difficult, and uncertain global landscape, Russian-Indian ties continue to be strong to external pressure.”