Washington: Former US President Donald Trump’s top trade adviser, Peter Navarro, has reignited controversy by accusing India of turning discounted Russian oil into profit while undermining global stability. Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Navarro alleged that New Delhi’s refining of Russian crude into high-value exports amounted to “laundering for the Kremlin” and was enriching elites “at the expense of the Indian people.”
Navarro, who was a central figure in Trump’s aggressive tariff policies against India and China, claimed that before the Ukraine war, India’s energy dependence on Russia was minimal. “Now they’re fueling Putin’s war machine,” he said, warning that Indian refiners were cashing in by reselling Russian crude to European and other markets at higher margins.
“India is nothing but a laundromat for the Kremlin… You’ve got Brahmins profiteering at the expense of the Indian people. We need that to stop,” Navarro remarked, alleging that this trade not only empowers Moscow but also burdens American taxpayers who continue to finance Ukraine’s defense. “It kills Ukrainians… And what do we have to do as taxpayers? We’ve got to send them more money,” he said.
Defending Trump’s punitive tariffs on Indian exports, Navarro further argued that India’s strengthening ties with both Moscow and Beijing were destabilizing. “Modi’s a great leader… I don’t understand why he’s getting into bed with Putin and Xi Jinping, when he’s the leader of the world’s largest democracy,” he said.
The sharp criticism came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, marking his first trip to the country in seven years. Modi’s meeting with President Xi Jinping has already drawn international attention, and he is also expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin during the visit.
Navarro’s remarks reflect Washington’s escalating rhetoric over India’s balancing act between the West, Moscow, and Beijing, at a time when Trump-era protectionism continues to shape trade tensions. The comments also underscore how India’s role as a major buyer and processor of Russian crude remains a contentious subject in global geopolitics.