Navarro’s Rant On India Shows He’s Lost The Plot. Is Donald Trump Listening?

Last Updated:September 01, 2025, 11:56 IST

Unfortunately for Navarro, his onslaught against India merely reveals the double standards of the United States which has been supplying weapons to Ukraine

Navarro’s latest ‘Brahmin’ swipe isn’t analysis—it’s ignorance and shows that when facts run out, he falls back on stereotypes. (AFP)

Peter Navarro has done it again—yet again. US President Donald Trump’s Trade Adviser on Monday reiterated his accusation of India profiteering from the Russia-Ukraine war by buying oil from Moscow at a discount, alleging that the country’s elite were profiteering “at the expense of the Indian people".

In an interview to Fox News, Navarro said: “India is nothing but a laundromat for the Kremlin…You got Brahmins profiteering at the expense of the Indian people. We need that to stop."

The trade adviser, while labelling India the “Maharaja of tariffs", said New Delhi has the highest tariffs in the world. “They export us a bunch of stuff. They won’t let US sell to them. So, who gets hurt? Workers in America, taxpayers in America, Ukrainians in cities get killed by Russian drones," he said.

Navarro’s latest ‘Brahmin’ swipe isn’t analysis—it’s ignorance. Reducing 1.4 billion people to caste clichés betrays a shallow grasp of India’s social and political realities. It also shows that when facts run out, Navarro falls back on stereotypes.

The trade czar, in his interview, went on to call PM Modi a “great leader" but asked “why is he getting in bed with Putin & Xi?" The statement clearly reflects Washington’s uneasiness, as it comes at a time when the prime minister’s warm hugs and handshakes with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the SCO Summit have grabbed headlines.

The presence of the three leaders—shoulder-to-shoulder—not only reaffirmed trilateral cooperation under the Russia-India-China (RIC) format but also succeeded in unsettling Washington, which has only itself to blame for its disrupted relationship with India.

Together, RIC represents 40 per cent of the world’s population and a rising share of global GDP. A stronger RIC could shift the balance of power away from Western dominance—the very prospect of which fuels Navarro’s anger.

The contradiction in Navarro’s statement is glaring. While he praises Modi as a “great leader", he objects to India’s ties with Russia and China, thus refusing to respect the country’s independent choices. It is no secret that India’s foreign policy is multipolar—balancing relations with Washington, Moscow, and Beijing based on national interest, geography, and security.

India’s multipolarity also seems to have worked in the country’s favour as Xi Jinping called out the “bullying" behaviour in the international order, calling for greater fairness, justice, and multilateralism. “The global situation remains volatile and turbulent," Xi warned, adding, “We must reject bullying, oppose external interference, and safeguard the legitimate development rights of all countries." Though the Chinese President chose to not name names, the message was clear— the US can no longer play Big Daddy.

At the heart of Navarro’s bizarre diatribe against India is the latter’s decision to keep buying oil from Russia despite US’ unfair penalties and tariffs. A defiant India has refused to bow down to US pressure, with external affairs minister S Jaishankar putting it succinctly: “If you [US] don’t like it, don’t buy it."

The oil discounts that Navarro fumes at are smart economics and not profiteering. India buys discounted Russian crude, refines it, and exports it at a premium. This saves the country around $2.5 billion annually—a fraction of the $134 billion Washington has already spent on Ukraine, including $75 billion in military aid.

Meanwhile, US giants Exxon and Chevron post record profits selling LNG to Europe. But only India is accused of “funding Putin’s war machine".

It’s a classic case of Navarro ignoring inconvenient facts. The United States still imports Russian uranium (27 per cent of US supply) and fertilizers ($1.3B in 2024). Europe’s imports of Russian LNG hit €4.48B in H1 2025—higher than last year. China buys 47 per cent of Russian crude exports, India 38 per cent, with Turkey not far behind. If trade funds Russia’s war, Washington and Brussels are far more complicit than New Delhi.

What adds to Navarro’s woes is his selective outrage. When the trade adviser terms India the “Maharaja of tariffs", he conveniently ignores that tariffs are a global policy tool. During Navarro’s own White House stint, Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on China. Every country shields its industries and India is no exception.

Unfortunately for Navarro, his onslaught against India merely reveals the double standards of the United States in front of the world. Washington has flown billions to Ukraine so far so weapons but chooses to punish India for legal crude purchases.

While US & EU keep trading with Russia in exempt sectors and China buys nearly half of Russia’s oil, only India faces tariffs. It also puts a question mark on US’ foreign policy as it courts India for the Indo-Pacific region, but targets it with tariffs and criticism.

India, on its part, has been clear that Navarro’s rhetoric reveals US frustration and not the country’s faults. The country will keep buying affordable energy to safeguard its economy, protecting domestic industries through legitimate tariffs, and engaging globally on its own terms—sovereign, multipolar, independent.

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