Amid a unambiguous statement to Western nations, President Vladimir Putin informed PM Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to guarantee “continuous” supplies of crude oil to India. This declaration came as the two leaders met in Delhi and affirmed their bilateral ties were “resilient to external pressure.”
Putin's comments, made on Friday, appeared to be targeted at Washington, who have sought to compel New Delhi into scaling back its historical relations with Moscow. This comes comes after recent American measures, such as additional import duties targeting New Delhi over its acquisition of Russian oil.
“Moscow remains a trustworthy source of oil and gas and all required for the growth of India’s industry,” he said. “Russia is prepared to keep securing the steady delivery of resources for the booming Indian economy.”
Prime Minister Modi, though he did not naming energy specifically, reinforced the focus by noting that “energy security has been a key and crucial cornerstone of the India-Russia alliance.”
In the lead-up to the talks, via a media interview, Putin had challenged US interference regarding India's oil imports. He argued, “When Washington has the right to buy our atomic materials, how can you deny India have the same privilege?”
This trip was his initial journey to India following the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and Moscow and Delhi engaged in a visible effort to demonstrate that the personal rapport between the two leaders remained intact.
Taking an unusual move, Prime Minister Modi met Putin right off the plane. The two shared a warm hug like longtime companions before enjoying a closed-door supper together.
He referred to India's partnership with Russia as “a beacon” and said it was “founded on shared respect and profound confidence.”
Friday's talks resulted in multiple important deals regarding military and financial collaboration. One significant result was the completion of an strategic roadmap extending until 2030, which sets a goal to double bilateral trade to $100bn each year by the 2030 deadline.
The leaders also vowed to reshape their military partnership. Although Russia is still India's primary source of arms, its share has reduced lately as India works to widen its procurement.
The joint statement emphasized plans for the joint production of cutting-edge weapons platforms, even if specific details of purchases such as the fifth-generation aircraft were left out.
In conclusion, both nations affirmed that amid the “ongoing challenging, tense, and uncertain international environment, Russian-Indian ties remain strong to foreign influence.”
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