The U.S. official said India must act like a strategic partner of Washington if it wants to be treated like one
White House trade advisor Peter Navarro has sharply criticised India for its purchases of Russian energy and defence equipment, vowing to “hit India where it hurts” to alter New Delhi’s policy. He added that India’s oil deal with Russia is “opportunistic.”
A former economics professor and a key trade adviser during President Donald Trump’s first term, Navarro is widely seen as a driving force behind the US’s retaliatory tariffs on trading partners. In his article, he linked India’s “high” trade tariffs and its “financial support” for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“As Russia continues to hammer Ukraine, aided by India’s financial support, American and European taxpayers are forced to spend tens of billions more to support Ukraine’s defence,” Navarro wrote. “Meanwhile, India continues to block American exports with high tariffs and trade barriers. Over 300,000 soldiers and civilians have died, NATO’s eastern flank is increasingly exposed, and the West foots the bill for India’s oil dealings.”
In its ongoing negotiations with the US for a Free Trade Agreement, India has resisted opening its agriculture, dairy, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) sectors to unrestricted American imports.
On July 30, Trump announced 25% punitive tariffs on Indian goods exported to the US. He later added another 25% levy, targeting India’s purchases of Russian oil. India’s foreign ministry called these measures “unreasonable” and “extremely unfortunate.”
Navarro also criticized Indian refiners for “profiteering” by buying discounted Russian oil and exporting processed petroleum products to Europe, Africa, and Asia, arguing that the post-2022 surge in imports was not for domestic consumption.
“The Biden administration largely ignored this strategic and geopolitical issue. The Trump administration is confronting it,” Navarro said, pointing to the impact of Trump’s tariffs on India, which have put its exports at a disadvantage compared to other countries.
He concluded, “This two-pronged approach targets India’s access to US markets while cutting off the financial lifeline it provides to Russia’s war. If India wants to be treated as a strategic partner of the US, it must start acting like one.”
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