White House trade adviser Peter Navarro accused India of undermining U.S. interests by continuing to import Russian crude—a move he deemed “opportunistic” and detrimental to strategic trust.
In a pointed Financial Times opinion piece, President Trump’s trade adviser harshly criticized India for financing Moscow’s war in Ukraine through its unabated oil purchases. Navarro warned that if New Delhi wants to maintain its status as a “strategic partner” of the U.S., it must immediately realign its actions with American expectations.
Navarro didn’t mince words. He charged India with becoming a “global clearinghouse” for embargoed Russian crude, enabling the Kremlin to earn hard currency while contributing indirectly to the conflict. Even more alarming, he described India’s growing closeness to both Russia and China as a red flag that makes transferring advanced U.S. military technology to India “risky.”
As penalties intensified, Trump slapped an extra 25 percent tariff on Indian imports—bringing the total to a staggering 50 percent—explicitly citing India’s continued oil dealings with Russia. These moves have undermined India’s trade relations and now threaten the viability of its partnership with the U.S.
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New Delhi’s dismissive defense—that Western allies also continue to trade with Russia—rings hollow under scrutiny. The U.S. is sending a clear message: strategic ties are conditional on loyalty, not convenience. Pacific power politics wait for no indecision.