Day after dubbing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “Modi’s war,” US President Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro on Friday escalated his criticism of India’s oil trade with Russia. Navarro argued that Washington’s punitive tariffs on New Delhi are not just about “unfair trade,” but about cutting Moscow’s “financial lifelines,” claiming that money from India’s crude purchases flows directly into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “war chest.”
Breaking down what he called the “India-Russia oil mathematics,” Navarro, in a thread on X, said: “American consumers buy Indian goods while India keeps out US exports through high tariffs and non-tariff barriers. India uses our dollars to buy discounted Russian crude.”
He further claimed that Indian refiners, “with their silent Russian partners, refine and flip the black-market oil for big profits on the international market – while Russia pockets hard currency to fund its war on Ukraine.”
Navarro pointed out that before the war, Russian oil made up less than 1 per cent of India’s imports, but now accounts for over 30 per cent, with New Delhi bringing in more than 1.5 million barrels a day.
“This surge isn’t driven by domestic demand – it’s driven by Indian profiteers and carries an added price of blood and devastation in Ukraine. India’s Big Oil lobby has turned the largest democracy in the world into a massive refining hub and oil money laundromat for the Kremlin,” he alleged.
India has repeatedly defended its purchases of Russian crude, arguing that they are vital to keeping domestic energy prices stable, and has dismissed US measures as “unjustified.” Despite China also being a major buyer, India is the only large economy hit with Trump’s “secondary tariffs.”
1/ President Trump’s 50% tariffs on Indian imports are now in effect.
This isn’t just about India’s unfair trade—it’s about cutting off the financial lifeline India has extended to Putin’s war machine. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/bwLaL9dBTv
— Peter Navarro (@RealPNavarro) August 28, 2025
Washington has acknowledged that India’s ability to purchase discounted Russian crude was built into the G7’s $60-per-barrel price cap imposed in 2022, designed to reduce Kremlin revenues while maintaining global supply. Still, Navarro insisted Indian refiners exploit that framework by reselling refined fuels across Europe, Africa, and Asia.
“India now exports over 1 million barrels a day in refined petroleum – more than half the volume of Russian crude it imports. The proceeds flow to India’s politically connected energy titans – and directly into Putin’s war chest. While the United States pays to arm Ukraine, India bankrolls Russia even as it slaps some of the world’s highest tariffs on US goods, which in turn punishes American exporters.”
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He noted that the US now runs a $50-billion trade deficit with India, adding: “They make a killing and Ukrainians die. It doesn’t stop there. India continues to buy Russian weapons – while demanding that US firms transfer sensitive military tech and build plants in India. That’s strategic freeloading.”
Navarro blamed the Biden administration for allowing this to escalate, adding: “A 50 per cent tariff – 25 per cent for unfair trade and 25 per cent for national security – is a direct response. If India, the world’s largest democracy, wants to be treated like a strategic partner of the US, it needs to act like one. The road to peace in Ukraine runs through New Delhi.”
“India is experiencing the cost of supporting Putin”
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham also reinforced the criticism, targeting not only India but also China and Brazil for sustaining Russia’s oil revenues. Referring to Trump’s 50% tariffs, Graham warned that New Delhi was already “experiencing the cost of supporting” Putin and that other nations could face similar consequences.
“India, China, Brazil and others who prop up Putin’s war machine by buying cheap Russian oil: How do you feel right now that your purchases have resulted in innocent civilians, including children, being killed? India is experiencing the cost of supporting Putin. To the rest, you will soon too,” Graham said in a post on X.
India, China, Brazil and others who prop up Putin’s war machine by buying cheap Russian oil: How do you feel right now that your purchases have resulted in innocent civilians, including children, being killed?
India is experiencing the cost of supporting Putin. To the rest, you… https://t.co/G1KeSmKv1J
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) August 28, 2025
The senator’s warning came just hours after a deadly Russian strike on Kyiv killed at least 23 civilians. Graham has long tied Moscow’s energy revenue to its military campaign, reiterating in an earlier NBC interview: “Without oil and gas revenue, Russia collapses… the whole goal is to crush its customers – India, China, Brazil.”
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Who is Navarro?
Navarro is a former professor turned political adviser, best known for his close association with Trump. Initially a Democrat who taught liberal economics, Navarro later adopted strong protectionist views, blaming countries like China for US job losses — a stance that shaped his later trade policies. As Trump’s trade adviser, he became a key architect of tariffs and trade disputes, particularly targeting China and more recently India, criticising their tariff policies and import regulations.
Navarro is also known for his fervent loyalty to Trump, having aided attempts to challenge the 2020 election results, which led to his four-month imprisonment for defying subpoenas. He gained wider notoriety as the co-author of Death by China: Confronting the Dragon – A Global Call to Action, where he controversially cited a fictional expert, Ron Vara, to support his pro-tariff arguments.
