🔗 Share this article Putin Assures Uninterrupted Crude Oil Supplies to the Indian Nation in Snub of Washington Demands Amid a clear message to the West, President Vladimir Putin has told PM Narendra Modi that Russia stands ready to maintain “unbroken” shipments of oil to India. The announcement came during a summit where both heads of state met in the Indian capital and declared their relationship were “resistant to foreign coercion.” A Signal For the West The statement, delivered Friday, appeared to be a direct challenge at Washington, that have tried to urge New Delhi into reducing its close relations with Moscow. This comes follows recent American measures, including the imposition of import duties on India due to its buying of discounted Russian crude. “Russia is a trustworthy source of fuel and anything necessary for the development of India’s energy sector,” he stated. “Russia is prepared to keep ensuring the steady flow of energy for the rapidly growing Indian economy.” Prime Minister Modi, while not mentioning oil explicitly, supported the sentiment by stating that “a stable energy base has been a robust and vital foundation of the Indo-Russian partnership.” Challenging Washington's Stance In the lead-up to the meeting, during a TV appearance, Putin had questioned US interference regarding India's energy purchases. The president questioned, “If the US is entitled to buy our atomic materials, why shouldn’t India have the same privilege?” Putin's arrival marked his maiden visit to India after the onset of the conflict in Ukraine, and both sides engaged in a clear attempt to project that the friendship between the men was undisturbed. A Warm Greeting Taking an rare move, the Indian PM personally greeted Putin as he disembarked. Both leaders exchanged a hearty embrace as old friends before holding a closed-door supper together. Modi referred to India's partnership with Russia as “a beacon” and added it was “founded on reciprocal esteem and profound confidence.” Reaffirming Defence and Economic Ties The bilateral summit produced several important deals in the fields of defence and economic cooperation. One significant result was the finalization of an strategic roadmap aimed at 2030, which aims to double commerce to a hundred billion USD per year by the target year. Furthermore agreed to restructure their strategic cooperation. Even as Russia continues to be India's biggest source of arms, its share has reduced lately as India has sought diversify its sources. The official release highlighted an agreement on the joint production of sophisticated defence platforms, even if explicit reference of purchases such as the Sukhoi Su-57 were omitted. Overall, both nations reiterated that during the “present intricate, tense, and volatile international environment, their relationship stay resilient to foreign influence.”