Trump Advisor Peter Navarro Warns India Over Trade Ties, Russian Oil Purchases;

Washington, D.C. — Former U.S. President Donald Trump's top trade advisor, Peter Navarro, has issued a sharp warning to India, claiming that the country must change its trade stance with the United States or face negative consequences. In a fiery interview on the show Real America's Voice, Navarro accused India of imposing the highest tariffs among major economies and doubling down on buying discounted Russian oil amid the Ukraine conflict. “They have the highest tariffs in any major country in the world against the United States,” Navarro said. “We’ve got to deal with that. India must come around at some point. If it doesn’t, it’s lying down with Russia and China—and that won’t end well for India.” Navarro’s remarks come amid growing tensions over India's increased import of Russian crude oil, which ramped up after the Ukraine war began in 2022. While historically India depended more on oil from the Middle East, it shifted to Russia following Western sanctions, including a G7-led $60-per-barrel price cap aimed at curbing Moscow’s revenues without destabilizing global energy supplies. He accused New Delhi of “profiteering” by refining Russian oil and re-exporting it, claiming it ultimately burdens American taxpayers. However, U.S. officials have previously acknowledged that the price cap was designed to allow countries like India to continue buying discounted oil while limiting Russia's profits. Navarro contrasted India’s position with other allies like the EU, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Indonesia, which he claimed have made “great trade deals” with the U.S. “These countries realized they were taking too much advantage of us. They’ve come around because they need the American market.” On China, Navarro stated that the U.S. is already imposing tariffs of over 50% to curb unfair practices. He pushed for stronger sanctions, especially regarding Chinese purchases of Russian energy. “The road to peace partly runs through New Delhi,” he said, urging India to halt oil imports from Russia. Attack on BRICS Alliance Navarro also launched a blistering attack on the BRICS alliance—comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—calling its member nations “vampires” that survive by exploiting U.S. markets through unfair trade. “None of these countries can survive if they don’t sell to the United States,” he said. “Their exports are like vampires sucking our blood dry.” He cast doubt on the unity of BRICS, citing historical tensions. “Russia and China don’t trust each other. China thinks it owns Vladivostok. India has been at war with China for decades. China gave Pakistan a nuclear bomb. Meanwhile, Brazil is crumbling under Lula’s socialist regime. I don’t see BRICS lasting.” The comments come just days after a BRICS virtual summit chaired by Brazil, where Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar represented Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Backlash and Social Media Meltdown Navarro’s remarks were widely criticized on social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter), where he claimed Indian users manipulated an online poll about his earlier controversial statements. After being fact-checked for spreading misinformation on India’s oil purchases, Navarro alleged foreign interference: “India has the largest population in the world and all it can do is manage a few hundred thousand X propagandists to jerk around a poll?” Despite pushback, Navarro insisted that India’s alignment with Russia and China would backfire, urging Indian leadership to reconsider its foreign and trade policies.

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