Putin questions US stress on India’s Russian oil purchases as Modi provides the Russian president a heat welcome.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has questioned Washington’s stance on India’s oil purchases from Moscow, pointing to US imports of Russian nuclear gas as he started a state go to geared toward strengthening ties between the 2 nations.
Putin arrived in New Delhi on Thursday night to a heat airport reception from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who embraced the Russian chief in a uncommon gesture that underscored their private rapport.
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The go to comes as India faces mounting stress from US President Donald Trump, who has imposed punitive tariffs on Indian items over New Delhi’s purchases of discounted Russian crude.
In an interview with Indian broadcasters earlier than his arrival, Putin questioned the logic behind Washington’s criticism.
“The United States itself nonetheless buys nuclear gas from us for its personal nuclear energy crops,” he stated, including that if the US has the proper to purchase Russian gas, India ought to get pleasure from “the identical privilege”.
Modi posted on social media that he was “delighted to welcome my buddy, President Putin to India,” calling their relationship “a time examined one which has vastly benefitted our folks”.
After embracing on the tarmac, the 2 drove collectively to a personal dinner at Modi’s residence.
Delighted to welcome my buddy, President Putin to India. Looking ahead to our interactions later this night and tomorrow. India-Russia friendship is a time examined one which has vastly benefitted our folks.@KremlinRussia_E pic.twitter.com/L7IORzRfV9
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 4, 2025
Al Jazeera’s Neha Poonia, reporting from New Delhi, stated the reception despatched a transparent message.
“Experts say that the nice and cozy reception for President Putin [shows] that he’s not a pariah, that there are international locations that can settle for him regardless of stress from western nations,” over Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she stated, including that Modi needed to sign “he gained’t give into stress from Donald Trump.”
Putin defended the vitality relationship, telling Indian media that cooperation with India “stays unaffected by political swings or the tragic occasions in Ukraine”.
He accused unnamed actors of searching for to “constrain India for political causes” because of its rising worldwide function.
The go to highlights India’s delicate balancing act between Moscow and Washington. India’s oil imports from Russia surged from simply 2.5 p.c of whole crude purchases earlier than 2022 to just about 36 p.c presently, making it the world’s second-largest purchaser of Russian oil.
🇷🇺🇮🇳 President Vladimir #Putin has arrived in India for a two-day state go to.
The Russian chief acquired a heat private welcome from Prime Minister @narendramodi.#DruzhbaDosti pic.twitter.com/jUeufbIdCv
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) December 4, 2025
Indian refiners have saved roughly $12.20 per barrel by buying discounted Russian crude.
However, Trump has imposed 50 p.c tariffs on Indian items in retaliation, and up to date US sanctions on main Russian oil producers have begun forcing Indian refiners to scale back purchases.
Reliance, India’s largest personal refiner, has already introduced it can cease exporting petroleum merchandise made out of Russian crude.
On Friday, Putin and Modi are anticipated to carry formal summit talks and announce agreements spanning defence cooperation, transport, healthcare and labour mobility.
Russia is pushing to promote India extra S-400 missile defence techniques and Su-57 stealth fighter jets, whereas each side purpose to succeed in $100bn in bilateral commerce by 2030, although the goal now seems distant as oil imports decline.
