Trump’s Trade Adviser Slams Modi Govt: Brahmins Cashing in on Russian Crude

Washington: Washington’s rhetoric against New Delhi has intensified, with former U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro once again targeting India over its purchase of Russian crude oil. Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Navarro alleged that India is buying cheap oil from Moscow, refining it, and reselling it to global markets, particularly Europe, for massive profits.

“Putin gives Modi a discount on crude, it’s refined in India, and then shipped out at a premium. They’re making tons of money while fueling Russia’s war machine. India has turned into nothing but a laundromat for the Kremlin,” Navarro claimed.

Going a step further, he controversially said, “The Brahmins are profiteering at the expense of ordinary Indians, and this needs to stop.”

Despite his repeated criticism, Navarro also called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “great leader” but questioned his closeness with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, remarking, “How can the world’s largest democracy align itself so closely with authoritarian regimes?”

The remarks come after Trump slapped 25% reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods and an additional 25% levy linked to New Delhi’s Russian oil imports. India has strongly rejected these tariffs, labeling them “unjustified and unreasonable.”

Navarro, who has been on an aggressive streak against India, acknowledged the complexity of the situation when asked if tariffs alone could weaken Moscow. “We already have over 50% tariffs on India and slightly more on China. The question is, how high can we go before we end up hurting ourselves?” he said.

He argued that prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, India’s oil imports from Moscow were negligible. “Everything changed after the war. Russian refiners tied up with Indian big oil, and now New Delhi is cashing in on discounted crude while the rest of the world pays the price,” Navarro insisted.