White House trade adviser Peter Navarro renewed his criticism of India on Friday — accusing the country of becoming an “oil money laundromat for the Kremlin”. The remarks came even as the 50% tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump came into effect and exporters braced for a $48.2 billion hit. The top Trump aide insisted that the levy would “cut off the financial lifeline India has extended to Putin’s war machine”.
‘Pretense of neutrality’
“Indian refiners, with their silent Russian partners, refine and flip the black-market oil for big profits on the international market – while Russia pockets hard currency to fund its war on Ukraine…India’s Big Oil lobby has turned the largest democracy in the world into a massive refining hub and oil money laundromat for the Kremlin. Indian refiners buy cheap Russian oil, process it, and export fuels to Europe, Africa, and Asia—shielded from sanctions under the pretense of neutrality,” he alleged in a lengthy X thread.
The top Trump aide noted that India had ramped up its purchase of Russian oil amid the Ukraine war — going from less than 1% to over 30% or more than 1.5 million barrels a day. He insisted that the surge was “driven by Indian profiteers” and carried the added price of continued ‘blood and devastation’ in Ukraine.
“While the United States pays to arm Ukraine, India bankrolls Russia even as it slaps some of the world’s highest tariffs on U.S. goods, which in turn punishes American exporters. We run a $50-billion trade deficit with India—and they’re using our dollars to buy Russian oil. They make a killing and Ukrainians die…India now exports more than 1 million barrels a day in refined petroleum—more than half the volume of Russian crude it imports. The proceeds flow to India’s politically connected energy titans—and directly into Putin’s war chest,” he alleged.
Navarro hailed US President Donald Trump for “confronting” and issue that the previous Joe Biden government had ‘largely ignored’. He called the 50% tariff a “direct response” to the Indian policy and insisted that the world’s largest democracy “needed to act like” a strategic partner of the US if it wanted to be treated like one.
“It doesn’t stop there. India continues to buy Russian weapons—while demanding that US firms transfer sensitive military tech and build plants in India. That’s strategic freeloading,” he added.
India eyes alternatives after Trump tariffs
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said the government will soon announce various measures to expand the country’s domestic outreach and global foray, aiming to boost exports. He also assured exporters of all support in dealing with the current global uncertainties at the trade front, which were caused by the imposition of high tariffs.
“If any country wants to enter into a free trade agreement with us, we are always ready. But I believe that any form of discrimination affects the self-confidence and self-respect of India’s 1.4 billion citizens. Keeping that in mind, we will neither bow down nor ever appear weak. Together, we will continue moving forward and capture new markets. I can confidently say that this year our exports will surpass last year’s,” Goyal said during an event.