Peter Navarro Accuses India of Fueling War Through Oil Trade

Washington’s political heat has once again shifted towards New Delhi, with White House trade adviser Peter Navarro accusing India of enabling Moscow’s war chest through its Russia oil trade. In sharp remarks ahead of Donald Trump’s impending tariff hike on Indian imports, Navarro branded India a “laundromat for the Kremlin” while urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “rethink India’s role in the global economy.”

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Navarro noted that India’s imports of Russian oil were negligible before the Ukraine invasion in 2022 but now account for nearly a third of its crude purchases. “The argument now, when this percentage has gone up to 30-35%, that somehow they need Russian oil, is nonsense,” Navarro said in a clip circulated by C-Span. “India doesn’t appear to want to recognise its role in the bloodshed. It’s cosying up to Xi Jinping. They don’t need the oil.”

The senior Trump aide alleged that India’s refining and re-export of Russian crude is nothing short of a “profiteering scheme,” insisting it strengthens Moscow’s war machine while Western taxpayers shoulder the burden of defending Ukraine. “It’s a laundromat for the Kremlin,” Navarro charged.

Yet, even as he lashed out, Navarro struck a contradictory tone, describing Modi as “a great leader” but warning that New Delhi’s choices were prolonging the conflict. “Please, India, look at your role in the global economy. What you’re doing right now is not creating peace. It’s perpetuating the war,” he said.

Peter Navarro: Tariff Battle Adds Fuel to the Fire

Navarro’s attack comes just days before the Trump administration’s 50% tariff deadline for India. Last month, the former president slapped a 25% duty on Indian imports, accusing New Delhi of unfair trade practices. He later threatened to double the levy, citing India’s growing Russia oil trade as justification.

“In India, 25% tariffs were put in place because they cheat us on trade. Then another 25% because of the Russian oil,” Navarro remarked. “They have Maharaja tariffs. There’s a massive trade deficit, and American businesses are paying the price.”

According to him, India uses revenue from its U.S. trade surplus to pay Moscow for oil, which is then refined and exported, giving Russia much-needed cash to expand its military arsenal. “That money ends up financing more weapons, more bloodshed. Meanwhile, the U.S. taxpayer has to spend billions more on Ukraine’s defence. That’s insane. President Trump sees that chessboard beautifully. In many ways, the road to peace runs through New Delhi,” Navarro argued.

India Pushes Back

India, however, has strongly rejected the criticism. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, currently in Moscow, said New Delhi was “perplexed” by Washington’s reasoning behind punitive tariffs.

“We are not the biggest purchasers of Russian oil—that is China. We are not the biggest LNG buyers—that is the European Union. Nor are we the country with the largest trade surge with Russia after 2022,” Jaishankar stressed. He further noted that India’s decisions were based on energy security and market realities, not geopolitical pressure.

Peter Navarro: A History of Friction

This is not Navarro’s first broadside against New Delhi. Just last week, he penned an opinion piece in the Financial Times, calling India’s Russian oil deals “opportunistic” and “corrosive” to global sanctions. He argued that India’s financial ties with Moscow directly undermine NATO and force Western allies to foot the bill.

“As Russia continues to hammer Ukraine, helped by India’s financial support, American and European taxpayers are forced to spend tens of billions more. Meanwhile, India keeps slamming the door on American exports with high tariffs,” Navarro wrote.