Russian President Vladimir Putin offered India uninterrupted fuel supplies on Friday, eliciting a cautious response even as he and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to expand trade and defence ties between countries with decades-old ties.
India, the world’s top buyer of Russian arms and seaborne oil, has rolled out the red carpet for Putin during his two-day state visit, his first to New Delhi since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
But New Delhi is also in talks with the U.S. on a trade deal to cut punitive tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on its goods over India’s purchases of Russian oil. India’s energy imports are expected to fall to a three-year-low this month following U.S. tariffs and sanctions.
Russia has said it wants to import more Indian goods in an effort to grow trade to $100 billion by 2030.
INDIA CAUTIOUS ON OIL IMPORTS
Putin said Moscow was ready to continue ensuring “uninterrupted fuel supplies” to India, following up on comments on Thursday questioning U.S. pressure on India to curb oil purchases from Russia.
