White House adviser Peter Navarro claimed that Indiaโs ongoing purchase of Russian oil is fuelling Moscowโs aggression and adding to the financial burden on US taxpayers. He stated that India could secure a 25 percent tariff reduction from the US if it halts these oil imports.
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro ramped up his criticism of India’s Russian oil imports, accusing New Delhi of financing Russia’s war in Ukraine and dubbing the conflictย “Modiโs war.”
Navarro spoke soon after the Trump administration doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 percent. The move aims to extract trade concessions and pressure Russia through India. He claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi was funding Russiaโs military machine.
“I mean Modi’s war, because the road to peace runs, in part, through New Delhi,”ย Navarro said during a Bloomberg Television show.
Accusations over discounted oil purchases
He claimed that by buying Russian crude at discounted rates, India is helping Russia and hurting the US. He said this forces Washington to finance Ukraine while Americans suffer economically.
“Everybody in America loses because of what India is doing. Consumers, businesses, workers lose because India’s high tariffs cost us jobs, and factories, and income and higher wages. And then the taxpayers lose, because weโve got to fund Modiโs war,” Navarro said.
On US tariffs against India
The 50 percent tariffs, among the highest reciprocal levies in Asia, will hit over 55 percent of goods shipped to the US, Indiaโs largest export market. Electronics and pharmaceuticals remain exempt for now, but labour-intensive sectors like textiles and jewellery will be hit hard.
The tariff hike followed months of inconclusive talks between Washington and New Delhi. Indian officials have voiced frustration over US protectionist measures, particularly in agriculture, a key sector for the countryโs farmers, who form a major voting bloc.
Navarro’s rant on India’s stance
“Whatโs troubling to me,”ย Navarro said, “is that the Indians are so arrogant about this. They say, Oh, we don’t have higher tariffs. Oh, it’s our sovereignty. We can buy oil from anyone we want”.
India-US tariff war
President Trump has criticised India for its continued Russian oil purchases, a message reinforced by Navarro and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who accused Indiaโs wealthiest families of profiteering.
While Russian crude is not sanctioned, purchases were tacitly encouraged by the US after the Group of Seven nations imposed a USD 60-per-barrel price cap in 2022 to limit Kremlin revenues while maintaining global supply.
India, historically reliant on Middle Eastern crude, began buying Russian oil to control domestic energy prices. New Delhi has defended these ties and labelled Washingtonโs actions as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.”ย While India has moderated its imports, it has not halted them.
China remains the largest buyer of seaborne Russian crude, yet the Trump administration has adopted a softer stance toward Beijing amid ongoing trade negotiations.
The two countries have extended a 90-day tariff truce that rolled back some import taxes and eased export restrictions on rare-earth magnets and critical technologies.