Trump aide slams India for buying Russian oil, says Delhi needs to act like strategic partner of US

London: President Donald Trump's trade adviser Peter Navarro has slammed India for what he dubbed as an "opportunistic" purchase of crude oil from Russia and said New Delhi needs to act like a strategic partner of the US.

In a column for ‘The Financial Times’ on Monday, the White House counsellor for trade and manufacturing accused India of acting as a global clearinghouse for Russian oil by converting embargoed crude into high-value exports.  "India's dependence on Russian crude is opportunistic and deeply corrosive of the world's efforts to isolate Putin's war economy,” writes Navarro.

“In effect, India acts as a global clearinghouse for Russian oil, converting embargoed crude into high-value exports while giving Moscow the dollars it needs,” he claims.

Opening with the so-called “mathematics” of Russia-India ties, Navarro claims American consumers buy Indian goods, and then those dollars are used to buy discounted Russian crude oil.

"That Russian crude is refined and resold around the world by Indian profiteers in league with silent Russian partners — while Russia pockets hard currency to fund its war machine in Ukraine. As Russia continues to hammer Ukraine, helped by India's financial support, American (and European) taxpayers are then forced to spend tens of billions more to help Ukraine’s defence. Meanwhile, India keeps slamming the door on American exports through high tariffs and trade barriers,” he writes.

In his Op-Ed, Navarro goes on to attack India for imposing what he claims are some of the highest average tariffs in the world, along with a dense web of non-tariff barriers that “punish” American workers and businesses.

“As a result, the US runs a massive trade deficit with India, nearing $50 billion annually. And here’s the kicker: India is using those US trade dollars to buy Russian oil,” he states.

According to the White House adviser, the surge in India’s crude imports since February 2022 has not been driven by domestic oil consumption needs but by “profiteering” of the country’s “Big Oil lobby”.

“Refining companies have turned India into a massive refining hub for discounted Russian crude. The refiners buy oil at a steep discount, process it, and then export refined fuels to Europe, Africa, and Asia — all the while shielding India from sanctions scrutiny under the pretence of neutrality,” he writes.

While defending Trump’s recent executive order hitting Delhi with exorbitant trade tariffs, his aide goes on to allege that India keeps slamming the door on American exports through barriers.  Navarro claims that while Delhi has increasingly turned to the US, France and Israel to meet its defence needs, those deals often come with strings attached.   He concludes: “The Trump administration is confronting it. A recent executive order issued by the President will impose a 25 per cent national security tariff on Indian goods to address the threat posed by India’s continued importation of Russian oil. This new tariff is in addition to the 25 per cent reciprocal tariff already in place.

"This two-pronged policy will hit India where it hurts — its access to US markets — even as it seeks to cut off the financial lifeline it has extended to Russia’s war effort. If India wants to be treated as a strategic partner of the US, it needs to start acting like one.”  Trump has imposed tariffs totalling 50 per cent on India, including 25 per cent for Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil that will come into effect from August 27.

India, responding to the tariffs, said that the targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable.

India said that, like any major economy, it will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.