The White House business advisor Peter Navaro launched another scathing attack on India on Thursday (local time), defending 50 percent tariff on Indian imports by US President Donald Trump. He said that this fee is not only about ‘unfair trade’, but to reduce the financial assistance being given by New Delhi to Russian President Vladimir Putin amidst the ongoing struggle in Ukraine. In a series of ‘X’ (first Twitter) posts, Navaro explained the way of working of India-Russia oil mathematics and said that New Delhi is using dollars to buy Russian crude oil at concessional rates. He said that American consumers buy Indian goods while India excludes American exports through high tariffs and non-tariff barriers.
Trump’s ally’s latest ‘India-Russia Oil Mathematics’ statement
After calling the Ukraine struggle a “war of Modi”, Peter Navaro, a White House advisor and senior ally of Donald Trump, has now made another peculiar claim, arguing that India’s oil trade with Russia directly transports money to “Vladimir Putin’s War Fund”. Navaro’s comment came up a day after the Trump administration has implemented a 50 percent of a wide tariff of 50 percent on Indian imports, a punitive measure that is clearly associated with the continuous supply of russian crude oil concessional Russian crude oil by New Delhi.
In several posts on X, Navaro said that the new tariff system is not only about trade disputes, but about ending the financial support given by India to Moscow. He posted, “The 50% tariffs imposed by President Trump on Indian imports are now implemented. It is not just about India’s unfair trade – it is about cutting the financial lifestyle given by India to Putin’s war machine.”
India takes advantage of its trade surplus with America for payment of Russian crude oil
After this, a senior White House official, citing “oil mathematics”, alleged that India takes advantage of its business surplus with the US for the payment of Russian crude oil. He said, “India-Russian oil mathematics works like this: American consumers buy Indian goods while India excludes American exports through high tariffs and non-tariff barriers. India uses our dollars to buy concessional dandruff oil.”
Navaro argued that the Indian refiner, in partnership with “silent Russian partners”, is turning Russia’s concessional crude oil into profits in the international market and also sending Moscow back to rigorous currency. He posted, “Indian refiners, along with their silent Russian partners, are refining and selling black marketing oil for big profits in the international market – while Russia puts a rigid posture in its pocket for its war against Ukraine.” In addition, Navaro claimed that there has been a huge increase in oil imports since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and described it as inspired by profit rather than India’s domestic demand. He said, “Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian oil was less than 1% of India’s imports. This growth is not motivated by domestic demand – it is operated by Indian profiteers and is paying excess price for bloodshed and destruction in Ukraine.”
Global center of russian oil revenue rigging on India’s energy sector
Donald Trump’s trusted ally also accused India’s energy sector of creating a global center of russian oil revenue rigging. He said, “India’s large oil lobby has converted the world’s largest democracy into a huge refining center and oil money laundering center for Kremlin. Indian refiners buy cheap Russian oil, process it and export fuels to Europe, Africa and Asia – safe from restrictions in the name of neutrality.”
‘America’s trade deficit of US $ 50 billion with India’
Navaro claimed that currently India exports more than 1 million sophisticated petroleum per day. He said that the US has a 50 billion US dollar trade deficit with India and New Delhi is using dollars to buy Russian oil.
He said, “While the US pays money to give weapons to Ukraine, India provides financial assistance to Russia, while it imposes some of the world’s highest tariffs on American goods, causing damage to American exporters.” He further said that India keeps buying Russian weapons, but demands the transfer of ‘sensitive military technology’ from the US.
Biden administration mostly ignored this madness
He said, “The Biden administration has mostly ignored this madness. President Trump is facing it. 50% tariff – 25% for unique trade and 25% for national security – a direct answer. If the world’s largest democracy wants to behave like a strategic partner of India, America, it will have to behave the same. It is a way to behave in a new Delhi.”
India also accused of hypocrisy over defense relations
Navaro also accused India of hypocrisy over defense relations and said that he had been buying weapons from Russia demanding technology transfer from Washington. He said, “The matter does not stop here. India is continuing to buy Russian weapons, while demanding American companies to transfer sensitive military technology and set up plants in India. This is a strategic freight.” At the conclusion of his argument, Navarro compared Trump’s perspective to former President who Biden’s perspective, which he claimed that he “turned his eyes”.
2/ Here’s how the India-Russia oil mathematics works:
American consumers buy Indian goods while India keeps out U.S. exports through high tariffs and non-tariff barriers.
India uses our dollars to buy discounted Russian crude. pic.twitter.com/wee9aZWuBw
— Peter Navarro (@RealPNavarro) August 28, 2025