Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow is ready to provide “uninterrupted shipments” of fuel to India, as Delhi faces pressure from the US to stop buying Russian oil.
Putin, speaking alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, questioned earlier why India should be punished for buying oil when the US itself buys nuclear fuel from Moscow.
President Donald Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on most Indian products, arguing that Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil helped fund the war in Ukraine – an accusation India denies.
Putin’s visit comes as the US holds a series of talks with Russia and Ukraine in an attempt to broker a peace deal to end the war.
On Thursday, Putin told India Today that Russia was working on a “peaceful solution” to ending the war – warning that Ukraine must withdraw from the Donbas or Russia would seize it.
“Either we liberate these territories by force, or Ukrainian troops will leave these territories,” he said.
Modi repeated India’s stance that it was not neutral on the war in Ukraine and stood on “the side of peace”, welcoming efforts to find a “lasting” solution to end the war.
He highlighted that increasing the “connectivity” of Russia and India was a “major priority” for India.
In recent months, India-US ties have hit an all-time low as the two countries have failed to resolve the tariff deadlock.
Trump initially imposed a 25% tariff on India, but announced an additional 25% later as a penalty for Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil – a move the Indian government called “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable” at the time.
In his interview with India Today, Putin commented on the US tariffs on India for buying Russian oil, and said that India should have the same opportunities available as the US.
“The United States itself still buys nuclear fuel from us for its own nuclear power plants. If the US has the right to buy our fuel, why shouldn’t India have the same privilege?,” he asked.
Russia remained the US’ top supplier of nuclear reactor fuel last year, Bloomberg reported in September – citing data from the Department of Energy. A ban on enriched uranium imports from the country was enshrined into law in May.
Visas, trade and nuclear power
The two leaders exchanged memorandums during Friday’s briefing, outlining mutual objectives in areas including trade and agriculture.
Modi announced two new 30-day visa schemes for Russian tourists visiting India, and said that two new Indian consulates had opened in Russia.
Russia Today, a Kremlin-funded, state-controlled TV network, would also be launched in India, the prime minister said.
No major defence deals were announced, but the two men said there were agreements signed on shipbuilding, investments in civil nuclear energy and critical minerals.
India and Russia also agreed on an economic programme valid until 2030, the leaders said, spanning jobs, shipping and the health industry.
Putin said he was confident about increasing current bilateral trade from $60bn to $100bn in the coming years.
Modi said that “energy security has been a strong and important pillar of the India-Russia partnership”, but made no specific reference to oil.
India – the world’s third largest consumer of crude oil – has been buying large volumes from Russia since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
But some Indian firms have already started reducing oil imports from Russia to comply with US sanctions.
Putin also referenced a “flagship project”: building India’s largest nuclear power plant, that he said Moscow would help with.
In a joint statement released after their meeting, the leaders said their partnership was being “reoriented toward joint research and development, as well as the production of advanced defence platforms”.
Putin added that he and Modi were cooperating on foreign policy, with their coalition of Brics countries promoting a “more just” and “multi-polar” world.
Brics is an informal alliance of several major developing countries – including India, Russia, China, Brazil and South Africa – which formed in 2006, broadly to challenge the political and economic power of North America and Western European nations.
By BBC News
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