Donald Trump’s former trade adviser Peter Navarro has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of prolonging the Ukraine conflict through discounted Russian oil purchases, claiming India’s policies are destabilising global order.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Navarro said India was “playing a double game” on trade and energy, and described the situation as “Modi’s war.” He argued that Indian refiners profit from cheap Russian crude by reselling it at higher prices, thereby strengthening Moscow’s war machine.
“If India stops buying Russian oil, it can get 25% off tomorrow,” Navarro said. “Russia uses that money to kill more Ukrainians, and then Ukraine comes to us and Europe asking for more aid. American taxpayers end up funding Modi’s war.”
Navarro dismissed India’s defence of sovereignty over its oil imports, accusing New Delhi of siding with “authoritarians.” He warned: “India, you’re the biggest democracy in the world—act like one. China invaded your territory, yet you’re getting in bed with Beijing and Moscow.”
The remarks follow Washington’s move to impose a 50% tariff on Indian goods, affecting nearly two-thirds of India’s exports to the US. Indian exporters have already warned of closures, job losses, and cancelled orders—especially in the apparel sector.
Navarro defended the tariff hike, saying India’s high trade barriers and oil deals with Russia harm American workers. “They cheat us on trade, then use the profits to bankroll Russia’s weapons. That’s insane,” he said.
His stance contrasts with other US voices. Nikki Haley has urged Trump to strengthen ties with India as a bulwark against China, while economist Jeffrey Sachs called the tariffs “bizarre” and warned they could push Brics nations closer together.
India has firmly pushed back. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said it was “perplexing” to single out India while China and the EU remain Russia’s biggest energy buyers. He noted that Washington itself had long encouraged India to stabilise global energy markets, including via Russian imports, and called the new tariffs “extremely unfortunate.”
