White House trade advisor Peter Navarro warned in a Financial Times op-ed that India must stop buying Russian oil, saying the purchases fund Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
He argued India is “cozying up to Russia and China” and must change course to keep strong U.S. ties. Navarro criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the matter, saying the Trump administration would take a stricter approach to India’s Russian oil purchases.
“If India wants to be treated as a strategic partner of the U.S., it needs to start acting like one,” Navarro wrote. “India acts as a global clearinghouse for Russian oil, converting embargoed crude into high-value exports while giving Moscow the dollars it needed.”
Navarro added: “The Biden administration largely looked the other way at this strategic and geopolitical madness. The Trump administration is confronting it.”
Before President Trump’s summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, the administration announced 25% tariffs on India for buying Russian oil, calling it a threat to U.S. security. The executive order also set up a system for top officials, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to track other nations’ Russian oil purchases and recommend sanctions. The tariffs take effect 21 days after Aug. 6, giving India under two weeks to negotiate.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month, as New Delhi argues it’s being unfairly targeted for buying Russian oil while the U.S. and EU still import some Russian goods. Reuters reports that a planned U.S. trade delegation visit to India on Aug. 25–29 was canceled, potentially delaying trade talks and efforts to stall the new U.S. tariffs set for Aug. 27.
