US doubles down on India: Speaking to media, White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro defends US tariffs, calls India’s trade tactics “cheating”; India has now become a major refining hub for Russian oil while claiming neutrality to avoid “sanctions scrutiny”, he also wrote in a newspaper, accusing that not consumers but “big oil lobby” was “profiteering” File Photo
White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro has made some starling and serious allegations against India. In his opinion piece in a leading newspaper earlier this week Navarro claimed that “what really drives this trade is profiteering by India’s big oil lobby”, “refiners buy Russian crude at a heavy discount, process it, and then export fuels to Europe, Africa, and Asia.”
On Friday he accused New Delhi of acting as a “laundromat for the Kremlin” by purchasing discounted Russian crude oil, refining it, and selling the products at premium prices worldwide. India’s actions were “perpetuating the war” in Ukraine, he also claimed, dismissing India’s assertions that Russian imports were essential for its energy security.
What Navarro said
Speaking to the media, Navarro said that India’s oil purchase from Russia was virtually close to nothing before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. “The argument now, when this percentage has gone up to 30-35%, that somehow they need Russian oil, is nonsense…” he was quoted as saying.
“India doesn’t appear to want to recognise its role in the bloodshed… It is cosying up to Xi Jinping (Chinese President). They (India) don’t need the (Russian) oil,” he also said
Indian and Italian refiners are colluding to buy cheap crude, refine it, and sell it at premium prices, he claimed
“They make a bunch of money there, but then the Russians use the money to build more arms and kill Ukrainians,” he said
Navarro defends US tariffs
Starting August 27, the US will impose a 50% tariff on Indian goods.
Navarro defended the move, calling India’s trade tactics “cheating.”
“In India, 25% tariffs were put in place because they cheat us on trade. Then 25% because of the Russian oil… They have higher tariffs, Maharaja tariffs… We run a massive trade deficit with them. That hurts American workers and businesses,” he said.
Questioning India’s geopolitical alignment, he said India is “cosying up to Xi Jinping… What you’re doing right now is not creating peace. It’s perpetuating the war… In many ways, the road to peace runs through New Delhi.”
