Putin Vows ‘Uninterrupted’ Fuel Supplies as India, Russia Seek to Project Resilient Ties

New Delhi: India rolled out the red carpet for President Vladimir Putin on Friday (December 5) in a show of resilient ties even as sanctions squeeze trade, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailing the relationship as a "guiding star" and the Russian leader promising “uninterrupted” energy supplies.

Upon his arrival on Thursday evening, Putin was greeted by Modi at the airport before being whisked away for a private dinner. On Friday, they spent nearly the entire day together, moving from the Russian leader’s ceremonial welcome to formal talks, a separate business event and an official banquet.

The 23rd annual summit, marking 25 years of strategic partnership, took place under the shadow of a fresh diplomatic tightrope walk. Just a day before Putin landed on Thursday, India abstained from a UN General Assembly resolution demanding the return of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred by Moscow.

In his opening remarks at Hyderabad House before the formal talks began, Putin stated he would share details on actions being undertaken "jointly with some other partners, including the United States, on the question of a possible peaceful settlement of this crisis".

Ahead of Putin’s visit, the envoys of Germany, France and the United Kingdom had jointly authored an op-ed criticising Russia for not seeking peace and noted that India had also called for a just settlement. South Block interpreted it as interference in India’s ties by third countries and termed the public advice “unacceptable diplomatic practice”.

In his own public remarks, Modi described the bilateral friendship as having "remained steady like a guiding star" through decades of global volatility. At the same time, he sought to counter the perception of India’s position on the war.

“Whenever I spoke to leaders of the global community … and as I have said in detail during our discussions, India is not neutral. India has a side, and that side is of peace,” Modi said.

The Indian leader also praised the Trump-led initiative for peace talks, which has, however, still to see any breakthrough. “The efforts that have been ongoing in recent days give me full confidence that the world will once again return to the direction of peace,” he said.

Notably, the joint statement issued after the talks made no reference to Ukraine, even though it had featured in last year’s document.

While the rhetoric focused on peace, the substance of the visit centred on economic diversification and ways to shield the partnership from external pressure. Economic ties have historically lagged behind political and defence relations but have risen dramatically in the past four years to roughly $68 billion. Last year, both leaders set a new target of reaching $100 billion by 2030.

This surge is largely driven by Russia becoming India’s top source for foreign oil since the start of the Ukraine war, just as European markets began closing to Moscow.

To bypass the resulting banking sanctions, the two sides have aggressively moved away from the dollar. Putin noted with satisfaction that "national currencies" now account for 96% of commercial deals, supported by a network of special rupee Vostro accounts.

Yet, this sharp increase has made India a specific target of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs for allegedly fuelling Russia’s war machine. Recently, two largest Russian oil majors were also sanctioned, leading Indian refiners to announce that they are not placing any new orders this month with them.

Responding to queries on this friction, foreign secretary Vikram Misri maintained that the country’s policy is guided by the "twin goals" of ensuring stable energy prices and secure supplies. He argued that diversification is central to this approach, asserting that "our partners, traditional as well as new, understand this and appreciate this".

Pointing out that Indian refiners are publicly listed companies with "fiduciary responsibilities", he claimed they make decisions "on the basis of evolving market dynamics" and the "commercial issues that they confront" rather than purely political directives. "Within the four corners of this approach, we are continuing our cooperation," he said.

Despite these headwinds, Putin assured the Indian delegation that Russia remains ready to continue "uninterrupted shipments of fuel" to the fast-growing South Asian economy.

“Russia is a reliable supplier of oil, gas, coal and everything that is required for the development of India's energy. We are ready to continue uninterrupted shipments of fuel for the fast-growing Indian economy,” he said.

However, this single-commodity dominance has resulted in a trade balance heavily skewed in Moscow's favour. With crude oil now accounting for nearly 90% of India's Russian imports, Modi indicated the need to fix this disparity.

“Today, we discussed all aspects of our cooperation to further strengthen this foundation. Elevating our economic cooperation to new heights is a shared priority,” Modi said. “To realise this, we have agreed on an Economic Cooperation Program until 2030. This will make our trade and investment more diversified, balanced and sustainable; and will also add new dimensions to our areas of cooperation.”

Beyond fossil fuels, civil nuclear cooperation also is a vital pillar of the energy partnership. While no new site was finalised, Putin noted that two units at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant are operational and four more are under construction. He also pitched new technologies to the Indian side, suggesting cooperation on "small modular reactors and floating nuclear power plants".

Among the key pacts signed were two on labour mobility – an “Agreement on Temporary Labour Activity” and an “Agreement on Cooperation in Combating Irregular Migration”.

Misri described these as forming "a centrepiece" of the visit, noting that Indian workers skilled in IT, construction and engineering will help meet Russia's labour needs.

This official push for workforce mobility, however, sits alongside the contentious issue of Indian citizens recruited into the Russian armed forces during the Ukraine conflict. Misri later told reporters that the matter was raised by the prime minister.

“Our concerted efforts continue on a regular basis to secure the early release of Indian citizens from the Russian army,” the foreign secretary said, adding an appeal that citizens should “avoid very, very carefully any offers” to join the fighting.

During last year’s annual summit, Modi had raised similar concerns about nationals lured into working with the Russian military and sent to the frontlines. At least a dozen Indians are known to have died. While most were released from their contracts, a fresh recruiting campaign through third-party firms appears to have led to an upsurge in numbers. The government believes that at least 44 Indians are still with the Russian army.

The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on training Indian seafarers for operations in polar waters, which will become a key connectivity corridor as climate change makes northern passages navigable. "This will not only strengthen our cooperation in the Arctic but also create new employment opportunities for the youth of India," Modi said.

He also announced a significant relaxation in travel norms. India will soon introduce free 30-day e-tourist and group tourist visas for Russian citizens, a move the prime minister said would "create new strength and new opportunities" for the bilateral bond.

The leaders also found common ground on security, with the joint statement condemning terrorism in all forms. Modi drew a direct parallel between recent attacks in both countries.

"Whether it is the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, or the cowardly attack at Crocus City Hall, the root of all such incidents is the same," he said. "India firmly believes that terrorism is a direct assault on the values of humanity, and that global unity against it is our greatest strength."

Expanding into the media space, Putin announced the commencement of Russia Today's broadcasts in India, stating the channel would help provide "objective information" regarding global events to Indian audiences.

In the section about regional issues, the joint statement highlighted the "Moscow Format", a platform involving Russia, India, China, Pakistan, Iran and the Central Asian states, as the primary vehicle for engaging with Afghanistan.

Both sides demanded "immediate and uninterrupted humanitarian assistance" for the Afghan people, insisting that such aid should not be politicised. They also flagged the rising threat of the Islamic State’s Khorasan branch, pledging closer coordination to prevent the war-torn nation from becoming a terror hub.

The leaders also weighed in on the volatile situation in West Asia. Calling for "restraint" and adherence to international law, they expressed deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Regarding Iran, the joint statement stressed that the nuclear standoff could only be resolved through "dialogue and diplomacy”.

Conspicuously absent from the public announcements, however, were any specific new defence deals. While officials noted that "legacy cooperation" and the "Make in India" initiative were discussed, the summit produced no major announcements on military platforms or hardware.

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