WASHINGTON, Aug 18 (Alliance News): White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has warned that India’s continued purchases of Russian crude oil are directly funding Moscow’s war in Ukraine and jeopardizing New Delhi’s strategic partnership with the United States.
In an opinion piece published in the Financial Times, Navarro argued that India was “now cozying up to both Russia and China” and risked losing credibility as a trusted partner of Washington. “If India wants to be treated as a strategic partner of the US, it needs to start acting like one,” he wrote.
The remarks come after President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods earlier this month, citing New Delhi’s oil trade with Moscow. The move doubled total tariffs on Indian imports to 50 percent, escalating trade tensions between the two countries.
Navarro accused India of acting as a “global clearinghouse” for Russian oil by refining embargoed crude and exporting high-value petroleum products while channeling vital dollars to Moscow.
He also expressed concerns over the transfer of advanced US military technologies to India, warning that New Delhi’s growing ties with Beijing and Moscow posed security risks.
India’s Foreign Ministry has repeatedly defended its energy policy, saying the country is being unfairly targeted for oil purchases from Russia while Western nations continue to trade in other sectors with Moscow.
The strain in relations comes as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on Monday for talks on the disputed border.
Meanwhile, a planned visit by US trade negotiators to New Delhi from August 25–29 has been canceled, delaying progress on a proposed trade agreement and dashing hopes of relief from additional tariffs on Indian exports from August 27.
