Trump advisor accuses India of sponsoring Russia amid escalating trade tensions

White House official Peter Navarro, a senior aide to US President Donald Trump, has sharply criticized India’s role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, labeling it “essentially Modi’s war” due to New Delhi’s continued purchase of discounted Russian oil.

Navarro argued that India’s energy imports from Russia are directly fueling the ongoing war and stressed that “the road to peace runs, in part, through New Delhi,” Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

“I mean, it is essentially Modi’s war because the road to peace runs, in part, through New Delhi,” Navarro stated, underscoring the pivotal role India plays in the geopolitical landscape of the conflict.

Navarro further suggested that the United States could swiftly revoke the additional 25% tariffs imposed on Indian goods if New Delhi ceases its Russian oil purchases. His comments come shortly after the United States doubled tariffs on Indian imports—from an initial 25% to a punitive 50%—in response to India’s continued engagement with Russia.

On August 1, 2025, the Trump administration introduced a 25% “reciprocal” tariff on Indian imports aimed at addressing trade imbalances and stalled negotiations. Merely days later, on August 6, an additional 25% tariff was levied as a direct consequence of India’s ongoing oil purchases from Russia, effectively raising the total tariff burden to 50%.

Trump’s administration openly accused India of being a sponsor of Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, intensifying diplomatic strains between the two nations. New Delhi responded firmly, asserting it “will never compromise on steps taken in the national interests.”

Efforts to bridge the divide appear to have faltered, with reports indicating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has deliberately avoided multiple calls from President Trump. Modi refused at least four calls from Trump in recent weeks, which suggested that Modi was deliberately dodging the president’s attempts at dialogue.

Despite the tensions, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the current India-US relationship as “complicated” but expressed cautious optimism about future cooperation.

“This is a complicated relationship. President Trump and Prime Minister Modi have a very good relationship at that level. It’s not just over the Russian oil. The Indians came in early after Liberation Day to start negotiating on tariffs and we still don’t have a deal. I thought we would have a deal in May or June. I thought India could be one of the earlier deals and they kind of tapped us along in terms of the negotiations and then there is also the aspect of the Russian crude purchases which they’ve been profiteering on,” Bessent said.

By Vafa Guliyeva