Washington DC [US], August 22 (ANI): Despite sharp criticism for purchasing Russian oil, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro on Thursday (local time) praised India’s leadership and highlighted its key role in bringing the Ukraine-Russia conflict to an end.
“The road to peace runs through New Delhi,” said Navarro while calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi “a great leader.”
At the same time, Navarro delivered perhaps the sharpest attack on India regarding its Russian oil purchases, claiming that New Delhi is “perpetuating” the Ukraine war. He alleged India has been acting as a “laundromat for the Kremlin” by purchasing discounted Russian crude oil, refining it, and selling the products at a premium globally.
“India doesn’t appear to want to recognise its role in the bloodshed… It’s cosying up to Xi Jinping (Chinese President). They don’t need the (Russian) oil. It’s a refining profiteering scheme. It’s a laundromat for the Kremlin. I love India. Modi is a great leader, but 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,” Navarro said.
Navarro further argued that India doesn’t need Russian oil, pointing out that before the Ukraine invasion in February 2022, India imported less than one per cent of its oil from Russia, whereas now it imports around 35–40 per cent.
“Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, India bought virtually no Russian oil… The argument now, when this percentage has gone up to 30–35%, that somehow they need Russian oil, is nonsense… Russian refiners have gotten in bed with Italian refiners in a game in which they get cheap Russian crude at a discount. Then they make refined products, which they sell at premium prices into Europe, Africa and Asia,” Navarro said.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted during Alaska’s press conference with Trump on August 16 that bilateral trade between the two nations has increased by 20 per cent since Trump’s reinstatement as President.
Navarro described India’s trade barriers as “higher tariffs, Maharaja tariffs, higher non-tariff barriers,” arguing that they contributed to a “massive” US trade deficit that “hurts American workers” and “hurts American businesses.”
“In India, 25% tariffs were put in place because they cheat us on trade. Then 25% because of the Russian oil… We run a massive trade deficit with them. So that hurts American workers and businesses. Then they use the money that they get from us when they sell us stuff to buy Russian oil, which then is processed by refiners, and they make a bunch of money there. But then the Russians use the money to build more arms and kill Ukrainians. So American taxpayers have to provide more aid, military style, to the Ukrainians. That’s insane, and President Trump sees that chessboard beautifully. In many ways, the road to peace runs through New Delhi,” Navarro said.
Navarro confirmed that the US has imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods, effective August 27, citing India’s continued purchase of Russian oil amid geopolitical tensions over the Russia-Ukraine war. The total tariff rate combines a baseline 10% duty with a 25% reciprocal tariff and an additional 25% tariff.
Notably, his statements come after Nikki Haley, former US Ambassador to the United Nations, emphasised the importance of treating India as a “prized free and democratic partner” in the global effort to counter China’s growing influence.
In her opinion piece on Newsweek, she warned that damaging the 25-year momentum in US-India relations would be a “strategic disaster.” She urged Donald Trump to “reverse the downward spiral” and hold direct talks with PM Modi. “The sooner the better,” she said.
Haley believes India is the only country that can serve as a counterweight to Chinese dominance in Asia, making it crucial for the US to maintain a strong partnership.
Moreover, renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs has strongly criticised the US administration’s decision to impose steep tariffs on India, calling them “bizarre” and “very self-destructive of US foreign policy interests.”
In a recent interview with ANI, Sachs expressed concerns that these tariffs will undermine years of efforts to strengthen US-India relations. He described the tariffs as “not a strategy, but sabotage” and the “stupidest tactical move in US foreign policy,” which has unified the BRICS countries like never before.
Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, has expressed opposition to the US decision to impose 50% tariffs on Indian goods, warning that “silence or compromise only emboldens the bully.”
He emphasised that China will firmly stand with India to uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at its core. Xu criticised the US for using tariffs as a bargaining chip, despite benefiting greatly from free trade in the past.
He noted that tariff wars and trade wars are disrupting the global economic and trade system, with power politics and the law of the jungle prevailing. Xu emphasised the importance of China and India strengthening cooperation to help developing countries overcome difficulties and safeguard international fairness and justice.
In response to American criticism, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar defended India’s position. He said the US itself had previously asked New Delhi to help stabilise global energy markets by buying Russian oil.
“We are not the biggest purchasers of Russian oil; that is China. We are not the biggest purchasers of LNG; that is the European Union. We are not the country which has the biggest trade surge with Russia after 2022; I think there are some countries to the South. We are a country where the Americans have said for the last few years that we should do everything to stabilise the world energy market, including buying oil from Russia. Incidentally, we also buy oil from the US, and that amount has increased. So honestly, we are very perplexed at the logic of the argument that you had referred to…” Jaishankar said, answering a query.
The Ministry of External Affairs reiterated that India will take “all actions necessary to protect its national interests,” despite US attempts to strong-arm New Delhi.
In an official statement, the MEA said: “The United States has in recent days targeted India’s oil imports from Russia. We have already made clear our position on these issues, including the fact that our imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India.”
“It is therefore extremely unfortunate that the US should choose to impose additional tariffs on India for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest,” the statement added. (ANI)
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