Washington: Peter Navarro, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade adviser, escalated his criticisms of India on Monday, warning that New Delhi risks serious consequences if it does not align with Washington in trade negotiations. In a wide-ranging interview, Navarro labelled India the “Maharaja of tariffs” and criticised the BRICS alliance, calling member nations “vampires” exploiting U.S. markets.
Navarro claimed that India maintains the highest tariffs among major economies against American goods. “But it’s absolutely true. They have the highest tariffs in any major country in the world against the United States. We got to deal with that,” he said. He also targeted India’s purchases of Russian oil, suggesting that New Delhi’s imports after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine constituted profiteering at the expense of American taxpayers. Historically, India relied primarily on Middle Eastern crude, but global sanctions and price caps introduced by the G-7 allowed New Delhi to purchase discounted Russian cargoes. U.S. officials have acknowledged this as a feature of international price-capping mechanisms rather than unilateral profiteering.
Navarro contrasted India’s approach with countries like the European Union, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Indonesia, praising them for cooperating with U.S. trade demands. “I think India must come around at some point. And if it doesn’t, it’s lying down with Russia and China, and that won’t end well for India,” he warned. On China, he argued that curbing Russian oil imports by major consumers is critical for global stability, urging India to reconsider its energy strategy.
Navarro also launched a scathing attack on the BRICS alliance, claiming its member states engage in unfair trade practices at the expense of American interests. “The bottom line is that none of these countries can survive if they don’t sell to the United States, and when they sell to the United States, their exports…they’re like vampires sucking our blood dry,” he said. He expressed skepticism over the alliance’s cohesion, pointing to historical rivalries between Russia, China, and India, and citing geopolitical tensions involving Pakistan and Brazil as further challenges.
The remarks followed the recent BRICS virtual summit chaired by Brazil, attended by Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Navarro’s comments coincided with ongoing debates over India’s strategic energy decisions and its engagement with multilateral trade groups.
Navarro’s interview also referenced his ongoing feud with the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), after repeated fact-checks challenged his claims regarding India’s Russian oil imports. He accused “Indian special interests” of manipulating polls and misrepresenting U.S. domestic discourse, claiming that user responses on the platform were skewed. Navarro previously faced widespread fact-checking after asserting that India’s oil purchases from Russia were unusual or exploitative, despite data indicating a broader context of sanctioned, discounted transactions.
Analysts said Navarro’s remarks reflect the persistent rhetoric from Trump-era trade advisors, blending strategic critiques with pointed geopolitical commentary. Observers noted that his remarks, particularly the warnings directed at India, could influence U.S.-India trade discussions and feed into broader diplomatic narratives surrounding energy security, tariffs, and multilateral cooperation.