India, Oct. 16 -- Russia on Thursday laid emphasis on the long-standing defense partnership with India and outlined a major defense push for the country. The announcement comes amid speculation over the future of oil trade between India and Russia triggered by US President Donald Trump's latest claim that the purchase would soon stop.

During an address in Delhi, Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov said, "For more than six decades, uninterrupted cooperation in defense has served as the backbone of India's armed forces. This cooperation long ago moved beyond a traditional buyer-seller model to joint production and full technology-sharing arrangements."

He highlighted the scale of Russian support, saying, "Approximately 70 percent of ...