Trump Aide Peter Navarro Calls Ukraine Conflict “Modi’s War,” Blames India for Fueling Russia

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New Delhi, 27 August, 2025: White House trade adviser and top aide of Donald Trump Peter Navarro has launched a blistering attack on India. He blamed New Delhi for indirectly fueling Russia’s war in Ukraine. He said that through its continued purchase of discounted Russian crude oil, India is fueling Russia’s military. Navarro referred to the Ukraine war as “Modi’s war.” He argued that the “road to peace runs, in part, through New Delhi.”

The remarks came just hours after President Trump’s 50% tariffs on Indian goods took effect on 27 August 2025, doubling the 25% duties already imposed earlier this month. The move is aimed at punishing India for what Washington calls its support of Moscow’s “war machine.” After continuous allegations by U.S. President Donald Trump, Navarro’s crude remarks on PM Modi have sparked tensions.

In an interview with Bloomberg Television, Navarro directly linked India’s oil imports from Russia to Ukraine’s continued suffering, claiming that Moscow uses the revenue to fund its military campaign. He said the tariffs could be reduced immediately if India stopped buying Russian oil, adding: “Instead of siding with democracies, you are getting in bed with authoritarians.”

Navarro argued that India’s purchases give Russia the financial resources to prolong the war. Russia uses the money India gives them as funds and kills more and more Ukrainians, forcing Kyiv to depend more heavily on U.S. and European aid. He claimed this placed an unfair burden on American taxpayers and businesses.

See Also: US Raises Tariffs On India To 50 Percent Over Russian Oil Purchases

“Ukraine comes to us and Europe and says give us more money [for its war]. Everybody in America loses because of what India is doing. Consumers and businesses and everything lose, and workers lose because India’s high tariffs cost us jobs, factories, income, and higher wages. And then the taxpayers lose because we have to fund Modi’s war,” he said.

While acknowledging India as “a mature democracy with mature people running it”, Navarro criticized New Delhi’s defiance. He said India is dismissing Washington’s concerns and refusing to compromise. “What’s troubling to me is that the Indians are so arrogant about this. They say that it's our sovereignty. We can buy oil from anyone we want.  India, you’re the biggest democracy in the world. Act like one. Side with the democracies,” he said. He urged India to take a clearer position.

Earlier, in his interview last week, he also accused India of refining Russian crude for profit before exporting it, calling the country a “laundromat” for Russian oil. According to Navarro, India uses revenue from U.S. exports to purchase Russian oil, which refiners process and resell for profit. This ultimately helps Moscow manufacture more weapons and continue the war in Ukraine.

Navarro previously also referred to India as the “Maharaja of tariffs,” accusing the country of cheating the United States on trade while significantly boosting its oil imports from Moscow after 2022. He alleged that India faced 25% tariffs because of its unfair trade practices and another 25% due to its continued purchases of Russian oil, remarking that India maintained “higher tariffs, Maharaja tariffs.”

Trump’s 50% tariff—the highest reciprocal levy imposed by Washington on any Asian nation—now affects more than 55% of Indian goods shipped to the U.S., New Delhi’s largest export market. While electronics and pharmaceuticals have been exempted, labour-intensive sectors such as textiles and jewellery face heavy losses. Navarro insisted that the punitive duties would remain unless India changed course.

See Also: Former US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, Warns Trump’s Tariffs Could Damage Ties With India

New Delhi has strongly criticized Washington’s move, calling the tariffs “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.” Officials argue that India’s energy purchases are based on market conditions and national interest, noting that other countries, including U.S. allies, also buy Russian oil. The Ministry of External Affairs had previously stated that India’s energy sourcing is determined by market availability and the prevailing global situation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, without directly referencing U.S. tariffs, has reiterated that India will not compromise on protecting farmers and key domestic sectors, which contribute nearly 18% to the country’s GDP. India has also pointed out that Washington has not imposed similar penalties on China, despite Beijing being the largest purchaser of Russian crude, suggesting a perceived inconsistency in the application of U.S. trade measures.

Amid U.S. tariffs and criticism, New Delhi has begun resetting ties with China and strengthening its relationship with Russia. PM Modi is scheduled to travel to Tianjin from 31 August, 2025 to 1 September, 2025 for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. Navarro denounced these moves, warning that China had long been in a “quiet war” with India through border tensions and the seizure of Aksai Chin and other territories. He cautioned that neither China nor Russia could be trusted, arguing that India’s foreign policy was drifting toward authoritarian states rather than democracies. In his words, by aligning with Moscow and Beijing, India was “getting in bed with the authoritarians” instead of siding with democracies.

As tensions escalate, Navarro has made it clear that Washington sees New Delhi’s Russian oil purchases as central to prolonging the Ukraine conflict. For the Trump administration, the “road to peace” runs through India. But for New Delhi, the tariffs represent what it calls an unjustified punishment for safeguarding its sovereignty and energy security. [Rh/VP]

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