“PM Modi’s War”: Trump Adviser Peter Navarro Blames India for Fueling Russia-Ukraine Conflict Amid Tariff Row

New Delhi: Former White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro has ignited a major controversy by linking the Russia-Ukraine conflict to India, bluntly calling it “PM Modi’s war.” In a sharp attack, Navarro accused New Delhi of undermining US and European interests by continuing to buy discounted crude oil from Moscow. Speaking to Bloomberg, Navarro claimed that India’s actions were indirectly forcing Washington and its allies to bankroll Ukraine’s war efforts against Russia. “Ukraine comes to us and Europe and says give us more money (for its war). Everybody in America loses because of what India is doing. Consumers and businesses lose, workers lose because India’s high tariffs cause jobs, income and higher wages. The taxpayer lose because we got to fund Modi’s war,” Navarro said.

The former Trump advisor further lashed out at India, calling it “arrogant” for prioritising sovereignty over Western expectations. “The Indians are so arrogant about this. They say we don’t have higher tariffs. It’s our sovereignty. We can buy oil from anyone we want. India, you’re the biggest democracy in the world. Okay? Act like one. Side with the democracies,” he declared. Navarro went on to slam New Delhi’s growing ties with both Russia and China, warning that India was “getting in bed with the authoritarians.” He pointed to China’s occupation of Aksai Chin and past hostilities with India to argue that Moscow and Beijing could not be trusted partners. “China, you’ve been at quiet war with them for decades. They invaded Aksai Chin and all your territory. These are not your friends, folks. Okay? And the Russians, I mean, come on,” Navarro remarked.

His comments coincided with the enforcement of fresh 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods imposed by the Trump administration, half of which were directly linked to India’s energy and defence ties with Moscow. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called the move “extremely unfortunate,” reiterating that India’s energy imports were based purely on market factors and aimed at securing the needs of 1.4 billion citizens. “The United States has in recent days targeted India’s oil imports from Russia. We have already made clear our position on these issues, including the fact that our imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India. It is therefore extremely unfortunate that the US should choose to impose additional tariffs on India for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest,” the MEA said in an official statement.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also hit back at Washington’s criticism, highlighting what he called the “perplexing logic” of the US. He argued that India was neither the largest buyer of Russian oil nor gas and pointed out that both China and the European Union had far greater energy trade with Moscow. “We are not the biggest purchasers of Russian oil; that is China. We are not the biggest purchasers of LNG, that is the European Union. We are not the country which has the biggest trade surge with Russia after 2022; I think there are some countries to the South. We are a country where the Americans have said for the last few years that we should do everything to stabilise the world energy market, including buying oil from Russia. Incidentally, we also buy oil from the US, and that amount has increased. So honestly, we are very perplexed at the logic of the argument that you (the media) had referred to,” Jaishankar said during a press briefing in Moscow alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Navarro’s remarks have not only angered Indian officials but also drawn sharp criticism from within the United States. Prominent economist Jeffrey Sachs called the new tariffs on India “bizarre” and “self-destructive,” warning that such measures would damage years of progress in building US-India relations. Sachs labelled the move “not a strategy, but sabotage” and “the stupidest tactical move in US foreign policy,” adding that it was pushing India closer to BRICS unity. Meanwhile, former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley urged caution, warning that damaging ties with India would be a “strategic disaster.” Writing in Newsweek, she stressed that India must be treated as a “prized free and democratic partner” in countering China’s influence. Haley further urged Donald Trump to “reverse the downward spiral” and hold direct talks with Prime Minister Modi, saying, “The sooner the better.”