Trump’s Trade Adviser slams India’s Russian oil purchases, labels policy a profiteering scheme
India is a “Maharaj” in tariffs, and it is running a “profiteering scheme” by using discounted Russian crude oil, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro has said, in yet another sharp criticism of India. Navarro’s comments came on a day External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded to criticism of India by American officials for its energy ties with Russia, and said the US itself had asked India to help stabilize global energy markets by buying Russian oil.
The White House Trade Adviser also talked about how India is “cosying up to” Chinese President Xi Jinping. The relations between New Delhi and Washington are on a downturn after US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 percent, including 25 percent additional duties for India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.
“Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, India virtually bought no Russian oil…It was like almost one percent of their need. The percentage has now gone up to 35 percent,” Navarro told reporters in the US. Navarro’s fresh attack on India came three days after he wrote a piece in the Financial Times slamming the country for its procurement of Russian crude oil. He said the argument that India needs Russian oil to meet its energy requirements does not make any sense.
They get cheap Russian oil and make refined products which they sell at premium prices in Europe, Africa, and Asia, he said, adding, “It is purely profiteering by the Indian refining industry.” “What is the net impact on Americans because of our trade with India? They are Maharaj (King size) in tariff. (We have) higher non-tariff barriers, massive trade deficit, etc — and that hurts American workers and American business,” he said.
The money they get from us, they use it to buy Russian oil, which then is processed by their refiners, he said. “The Russians use the money to build arms and kill Ukrainians, and American taxpayers have to provide more aid and military hardware to Ukrainians. That’s insane.” “India does not want to recognize its role in the bloodshed,” he said, adding India is running a “profiteering” scheme.
Though the US imposed an additional 25 percent tariff (total 50%) on India for its energy ties with Russia, it has not initiated similar actions against China, the largest buyer 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. India turned to purchasing Russian oil sold at a discount after Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and shunned its supplies over its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Consequently, from a mere 1.7 percent share in total oil imports in 2019-20, Russia’s share increased to 35.1 percent in 2024-25, and it is now the biggest oil supplier to India.
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