‘India’s tariffs cost US jobs’: Trump aide Navarro accuses New Delhi of 'feeding Russia’s war machine'

White House Peter adviser Navarro

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro renewed his criticism of India, alleging that New Delhi is profiteering from discounted Russian crude and imposing tariffs that “cost Americans jobs.”

Navarro further claimed that “India buys Russian oil purely to feed Russia’s war machine,” accusing it of indirectly supporting Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

“FACTS: India highest tariffs costs U.S. jobs. India buys Russian oil purely to profit/Revenues feed Russia war machine. Ukrainians/Russians die. U.S. taxpayers shell out more. India can't handle truth/spins,” Navarro wrote on X.

FACTS: India highest tariffs costs U.S. jobs. India buys Russian oil purely to profit/Revenues feed Russia war machine. Ukrainians/Russians die. U.S. taxpayers shell out more. India can't handle truth/spins @washpo
Leftist American fake news. QED. https://t.co/9UwdodYBEe

— Peter Navarro (@RealPNavarro) September 5, 2025

Navarro, who serves as Senior Counsellor for Trade and Manufacturing to President Donald Trump, has been criticising India for continuing its trade with Russia.

He earlier described the conflict as “Modi’s war,” labelled the country “Kremlin’s laundromat,” and alleged that New Delhi is fuelling Russia’s war economy.

Navarro’s latest remarks came shortly after India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed his earlier statements. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed them as “inaccurate and misleading statements” during a press briefing on Friday.

“We have seen the inaccurate and misleading statements made by Navarro, and obviously, we reject them,” Jaiswal said.

On trade specifically, he added that India “continues to remain engaged with the US side on trade issues,” rejecting claims that the partnership was deteriorating.