Navarro Targets New Delhi’s Energy Ties
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has accused India of helping finance Russia’s war in Ukraine through its large-scale purchases of Russian crude. In an opinion piece for the Financial Times, Navarro said India was acting as a “global clearinghouse” for embargoed Russian oil, converting it into exports and providing Moscow with critical dollars. He urged New Delhi to end the practice, warning it was “deeply corrosive” to efforts to isolate Russia.
India is the world’s second-largest buyer of Russian oil, after China, sourcing more than 30 percent of its fuel from Moscow. Washington has been pressing New Delhi to cut imports, with President Donald Trump imposing 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods earlier this month to increase pressure.
Strained US-India Relations
The tariffs have soured ties between the two countries, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledging to defend farmers and resist foreign pressure in a fiery Independence Day speech. “India will never compromise when it comes to protecting the interests of our farmers,” Modi declared.
Navarro is the second senior Trump administration official to accuse India of funding Moscow’s war effort. Earlier in August, deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller also criticized New Delhi’s oil purchases as “not acceptable.”
Balancing Russia, China, and the US
India has long relied on Russia for defense equipment, including the S-400 missile system, and Modi recently met President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. At the same time, India has been cultivating ties with Washington, raising relations to a strategic level and maintaining annual trade worth $128 billion. However, Trump’s tariff policies and criticism of New Delhi risk driving India closer to China, its regional rival.
Modi is expected to travel to China later this month, while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi began talks in India on Monday, underscoring New Delhi’s delicate balancing act between global powers. Navarro cautioned that deepening ties with Russia and China could complicate U.S. defense cooperation with India.
Accusations of Double Standards
India’s Foreign Ministry has rejected Washington’s criticism, saying New Delhi is being unfairly singled out while the U.S. and European Union continue to trade with Moscow. EU trade with Russia totaled €67.5 billion ($77.9bn) in 2024, down sharply from pre-war levels but still higher than India’s trade. The bloc also remains a major buyer of Russian gas, paying over $105 billion since the invasion, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
Meanwhile, U.S.-Russia trade stood at just $5.2 billion in 2024, down from $36 billion in 2021. Planned trade talks between U.S. and Indian officials in late August have now been canceled, leaving future negotiations uncertain as tensions deepen over oil, tariffs, and geopolitical alignments.
