U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade advisor Peter Navarro criticized India on Monday for its ongoing purchases of Russian crude, calling it “opportunistic” and claiming it undermines global efforts to isolate Vladimir Putin’s war economy. Navarro wrote in the Financial Times that India “acts as a global clearinghouse for Russian oil, converting embargoed crude into high-value exports while giving Moscow the dollars it needs.”
The remarks follow the cancellation of trade talks between the U.S. and India that had been scheduled later this month. Earlier, the Trump administration announced plans to impose an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports linked to Russian oil, raising total duties to 50%, among the highest for any U.S. trade partner. India criticized the move as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.”
India maintains that its purchases ensure affordable and predictable energy costs amid global supply disruptions caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine. Its Ministry of External Affairs stressed that other countries trading with Russia face less criticism, and that India’s imports are a necessary response to market realities.
Analysts note that India could source energy elsewhere with limited economic impact, though the debate underscores growing U.S.-India tensions over energy security and geopolitics.