NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he was ready to continue &quot;uninterrupted shipments&quot; of fuel to India, as New Delhi faces heavy US pressure to stop buying oil from Moscow. US President Donald Trump imposed punishing 50 percent tariffs on most Indian products in August, citing New Delhi&#39;s continued purchases of Russian oil -- revenue Washington argues helps fund the war in Ukraine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is hosting Putin at a summit in New Delhi dominated by energy, defense and trade talks, thanked the Russian leader for his &quot;unwavering commitment towards India&quot;. Putin, on his first visit to close partner India since the Ukraine war, was given a red-carpet welcome with an honour guard and 21-gun salute. &quot;Russia is a reliable supplier of oil, gas, coal, and everything that is required for the development of India&#39;s energy,&quot; Putin told Modi after talks. &quot;We are ready to continue uninterrupted shipments of fuel for the fast-growing Indian economy,&quot; he added, according to an official translator. Modi said that &quot;energy security has been a strong and important pillar of the India-Russia partnership&quot;, and while he referenced nuclear power, he made no specific reference to oil. India emerged as a major buyer of Russian oil after the start of the Ukraine war, providing Moscow with a crucial export market as Europe sharply reduced purchases. In 2024, Russia supplied nearly 36 percent of India&#39;s total crude imports, around 1.8 million barrels of discounted oil per day. New Delhi has recently reduced Russian crude imports under pressure. Putin on Friday said he had shared with Modi&nbsp;&quot;a great deal of details about the events taking place in Ukraine&quot; and the efforts Moscow is taking &quot;together with some partners, including the United States, on a possible peaceful settlement&quot;. Modi said that &quot;India has always advocated for peace in relation to Ukraine&quot;. &#39;Balancing acts&#39;India is walking a diplomatic tightrope -- relying on strategic Russian oil imports while trying not to provoke Trump during ongoing tariff negotiations with Washington. &quot;Balancing acts are second nature to Indian foreign policy making,&quot; Pankaj Saran, a former Indian envoy to Russia, wrote in the Times of India on Friday. Modi addressed &quot;my friend&quot; Putin and praised New Delhi and Moscow&#39;s longstanding ties. &quot;We have agreed on an economic cooperation program until 2030,&quot; Modi told Putin, after officials exchanged a raft of agreements spanning jobs, health, shipping and chemicals. &quot;This will ensure that our trade and investment are diversified, balanced, and sustainable.&quot; Bilateral trade reached $68.7 billion in 2024-25 -- almost six times higher than the pre-pandemic levels -- but Indian exports accounted for only $4.88 billion. &quot;This visit is part of India&#39;s diversification strategy, both in terms of strategic and economic, especially at a time when the US tariffs have hurt India,&quot; Ashok Malik of business consultancy The Asia Group told AFP. India is one of the world&#39;s top arms importers, and Russia has long been a principal supplier. But New Delhi has also sought alternative suppliers, as well as boosting domestic production -- with the Russian share of India&#39;s arms imports falling from 76 percent in 2009-13 to 36 percent in 2019-23, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Besides discussions around cutting-edge defense hardware, which includes air defense systems, fighter jets, and nuclear submarines, New Delhi will push for easier access to the wider Russian market. Defense ministers met as part of the talks, Indian foreign ministry official Vikram Misri said, but no final deal was struck.

India

Russian President Vladimir Putin said  he was ready to continue "uninterrupted shipments" of fuel to India, as New Delhi faces heavy US pressure to stop buying oil from Moscow

Putin offers India 'uninterrupted' oil in summit talks with Modi

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ISLAMABAD: Conflicting accounts and rapid speculation by sections of the Indian media have followed an explosion in the heart of New Delhi, even as authorities stated that the cause remains under investigation.&nbsp;According to AFP, at least eight people were killed and 19 others injured when a vehicle exploded near the Red Fort Metro Station in the densely populated Old Delhi district on Tuesday. The blast occurred close to the historic 17th-century Mughal landmark, a major tourist attraction.&nbsp;Delhi Police spokesperson Sanjay Tyagi confirmed that the explosion took place inside a vehicle, but said officials had not yet determined what triggered it.&nbsp;&ldquo;The exact cause is still under investigation,&rdquo; Tyagi said. &ldquo;We have teams on the ground gathering evidence.&rdquo;&nbsp;Local television networks reported footage showing multiple vehicles engulfed in flames and thick smoke rising in a crowded street near the metro station. According to the city&rsquo;s deputy fire chief, six vehicles and three autorickshaws caught fire before the blaze was brought under control. At dawn on Tuesday, AFP reporters at the site of the explosion said police white sheets had been erected around the charred remains of vehicles overnight. Both forensic and anti-terrorism agencies were searching for evidence, while security was increased across New Delhi.&nbsp;Statements from Indian leadershipPrime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sympathy in a message on X, saying he offered condolences to the families of those killed in the Delhi blast and wished a swift recovery for the injured. Home Minister Amit Shah told local media that the explosion involved a Hyundai i20 near a traffic signal close to the Red Fort. He said CCTV footage from the surrounding area will be reviewed as part of the inquiry.&nbsp;&ldquo;We are exploring all possibilities and will conduct a thorough investigation, taking all possibilities into account,&rdquo; Shah said. &ldquo;All options will be investigated immediately, and we will present the results to the public.&rdquo;&nbsp;Following the explosion, New Delhi&rsquo;s international airport, metro stations and government buildings were placed on high security alert, according to official statements.&nbsp;The US and French embassies in Delhi also issued security advisories to their citizens, urging them to avoid crowds and the areas surrounding the Red Fort, and to remain alert in places frequented by tourists.&nbsp;Eyewitness accounts differ from early reportsSome eyewitnesses at the scene described the vehicle involved as a compact Suzuki Maruti, based on what they saw immediately after the explosion. However, officials have referred to the vehicle as a Hyundai i20, and forensic teams remain deployed.&nbsp;Authorities have not yet released CCTV footage to clarify the discrepancy.&nbsp;Speculation over identity raises concerns&nbsp;Some Indian media channels circulated unverified claims linking the vehicle to a man named &ldquo;Salman,&rdquo; despite the absence of police confirmation. Other reports suggested different prior owners from Faridabad and Pulwama, though authorities have not confirmed any ownership chain.&nbsp;No official statement has identified a suspect or motive.&nbsp;Media observers in India have pointed to a pattern of speculation outpacing verified detail during breaking news events.&nbsp;Security questions raisedThe blast occurred near a high-security zone that houses several central government buildings, prompting renewed scrutiny over security measures in the capital.&nbsp;Police said forensic and anti-terror teams continue to examine the site, and further details will be released once initial findings are complete.&nbsp;Authorities continue to disperse crowds at the scene and maintain a security perimeter. With additional inputs from AFP

 Indian media begins blame game after Red Fort blast, shifting narratives and naming suspects without confirmation as police say cause remains under investigation

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Putin offers India 'uninterrupted' oil in summit talks with Modi

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