US President Donald Trump has imposed 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on India and an additional 25 per cent for Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil.
US President Donald Trump’s Trade Advisor Peter Navarro has once again accused India of profiting at the expense of the Russia-Ukraine war by importing cheap oil from Moscow and selling it to buyers in Europe post-refining. In a new rant against India Navarro said that “Brahmins” are profiteering at the expense of the Indian people and it needs to “stop”. The trade adviser said that he doesn’t understand how the Indian leader is cooperating with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping “when he’s the biggest democracy in the world.”
“So I would just simply say, the Indian people, please understand what’s going on here. You got Brahmins profiteering at the expense of the Indian people. We need that to stop,” Navarro, the Trump administration’s Senior Counsellor for Trade and Manufacturing, said.
Navarro also said, in an interview with Fox News, “(Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is a great leader.”
Trump’s 50% Tariffs On India
US President Donald Trump has imposed 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on India and an additional 25 per cent for Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil.
India has termed the tariffs imposed on it as “unjustified and unreasonable”.
Navarro Consistently Targeting India
Navarro has been consistently targeting India over the last few days following a major downturn in ties between Washington and New Delhi over President Donald Trump’s policies on trade and tariffs.
Navarro was asked about China’s purchases of Russian oil and whether the implementation of extra tariffs on India is enough to “choke” Putin.
“Well, let’s be clear, we have 50 per cent tariffs now on India, but we also have a little over 50 per cent tariffs on China. So there’s a question, how much higher do you want to go without actually hurting ourselves?” he said.
Navarro said that before Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022, India didn’t buy Russian oil, and its purchases were of very, very small amounts.
“What happened? Well, the Russian refiners went in and got into bed with big oil in India. Putin gives Modi a discount on the crude. They refine it, and they ship it to Europe, Africa and Asia at a big premium, and they make a ton of money,” he said.
“Now, what’s wrong with that picture?” Navarro said, adding that this “fuels” the Russian war machine, saying India is “nothing but a laundromat for the Kremlin”.
India’s Stand On Purchase of Russian Crude Oil
Defending its purchase of Russian crude oil, India has been maintaining that its energy procurement is driven by national interest and market dynamics.
Russia has emerged as India’s top energy supplier since the West slapped sanctions on its crude oil after the invasion of Ukraine.
With PTI Inputs