Navarro Defends Trump’s Tariffs, Accuses India of Fueling Kremlin’s War Economy

Washington, August 22 — White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro on Friday sharply criticized India’s role in the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war, defending President Donald Trump’s recent decision to impose a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods.

Navarro accused New Delhi of fueling Moscow’s war economy through continued purchases of Russian crude, describing India’s refining practices as a “profiteering scheme” and a “laundromat for the Kremlin.”

Responding to reporters’ questions about the additional 25 per cent tariffs set to take effect on August 27, Navarro remarked:
“India doesn’t appear to want to recognize its role in the bloodshed. It’s simply not. Instead, it is cosying up to Xi Jinping.”

Referring to his August 18 op-ed in the Financial Times, Navarro said he intended to counter what he called “propaganda” from the Indian government. “They don’t need Russian oil. It’s a refining profiteering scheme. It’s a laundromat for the Kremlin,” he reiterated.

While noting his admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Navarro urged India to reconsider its position: “I love India. Modi is a great leader, but please—look at your role in the global economy. What you’re doing right now is not creating peace, it’s perpetuating the war.”

In his Financial Times article, Navarro warned that India’s dependence on Russian oil undermines Western efforts to isolate Vladimir Putin. He described New Delhi’s oil purchases as “opportunistic,” arguing that if India aspires to be treated as a strategic partner of the United States, it must “start acting like one.”

“In effect, India acts as a global clearinghouse for Russian oil, converting embargoed crude into high-value exports while providing Moscow with the dollars it needs,” Navarro wrote. Earlier, on August 8, he defended Trump’s tariffs as a matter of “national security,” linking them directly to India’s refusal to halt Russian imports. He also branded India the “maharaja of tariffs.”

Navarro’s latest comments came as fellow Republican leader Nikki Haley struck a contrasting tone. Speaking a day earlier, Haley urged Washington to prioritize repairing ties with New Delhi, calling India a “prized free and democratic partner.” She emphasized that strengthening U.S.–India relations was essential to the Trump administration’s broader goals of “outcompeting China and achieving peace through strength.”

President Trump first announced a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods in July, later doubling it to 50 per cent in response to India’s continued energy ties with Moscow.