 "Peter Navarro called India’s purchase of Russian crude oil “deeply corrosive of global efforts to isolate Putin's war economy”. AFP")
Peter Navarro is growing more ridiculous by the day.
Navarro, the adviser to US President Donald Trump, and ardent protectionist, has blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Ukraine war.
He has also slammed Indians as being “arrogant.”
The development comes days after Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs on India – higher than most other trading partners – went into effect. It also comes in the backdrop of trade talks between US and India on a bilateral agreement having stalled, to the frustration of many in the White House and Trump himself.
New Delhi slammed the tariffs as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable”. India also pointed to the hypocrisy of the US-led West continuing to trade with Russia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the tariffs, said he is willing to pay any political price to protect the farmers. India has said that the national interest is paramount and there can be no compromise on it.
Let’s take a closer look at the timeline of Navarro’s ridiculous comments
August 18 – ‘Clearinghouse for Russian oil’
Navarro on August 18 claimed India was funding Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Navarro, penning a piece in the Financial Times accused New Delhi of “cosying up to both China and Russia”.
Navarro, who claimed India’s dependence on Russian oil was “opportunistic,” said if New Delhi “wants to be treated as a strategic partner of the US, it needs to start acting like one.”
“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”, Navarro wrote.
He called India’s purchase of Russian crude oil “deeply corrosive of global efforts to isolate Putin’s war economy”.
Navarro also claimed that India’s close ties with Russia and China made it risky to transfer cutting-edge US military capabilities to India.
Navarro made the comments in the backdrop of US trade negotiators calling off their visit to New Delhi for the sixth round of bilateral trade talks.
This yet again delayed talks on a proposed trade agreement and put paid to hopes that additional US tariffs , which went into effect on August 27, would be delayed.
His remarks came weeks after The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement defended buying oil from Russia as being in the national interest.
“India’s imports are meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer. They are a necessity compelled by global market situation,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said.
“However, it is revealing that the very nations criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia. Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion,” it added.
Navarro’s also comments came as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang visited Delhi for talks on the border issues between the two countries.
August 22 – ‘Laundromat for Kremlin’
Navarro last week dubbed India as a ‘laundromat for the Kremlin’.
“The argument now, when this percentage has gone up to 30-35%, that somehow they need Russian oil, is nonsense…,” Navarro said.
“India doesn’t appear to want to recognise its role in the bloodshed… It’s cosying up to Xi Jinping (Chinese President). They (India) don’t need the (Russian) oil,” he said.
India, of course, has pointed out that it began buying Russian oil at the beginning of the war with Ukraine at the behest of Washington. It also noted the benefits to the world.
Navarro called the oil purchase “a refining profiteering scheme. It’s a laundromat for the Kremlin.”
“India uses the money that they get from us when they sell us stuff to buy Russian oil, which then is processed by refiners, and they make a bunch of money there. But then the Russians use the money to build more arms and kill Ukrainians, and so American taxpayers have to provide more aid, military style, to the Ukrainians. So that’s insane,” he added.
His remarks came ahead of Trump’s tariff deadline for India.
“In India, 25% tariffs were put in place because they cheat us on trade. Then 25% because of the Russian oil… They have higher tariffs, Maharaja tariffs…,” Navarro said.
“Just six days from now, you see – I see that (the imposition of secondary tariffs on August 27) taking place. India doesn’t appear to want to recognise its role in the bloodshed. It simply doesn’t. It’s cosying up to Xi Jinping, that’s what it’s doing,” Navarro said.
Navarro slammed India as being the ‘Maharaja of tariffs’ -- despite the data showing otherwise.
“They have higher tariffs, Maharaja tariffs, higher non-tariff barriers. We run a massive trade deficit with them, so that hurts American workers, hurts American businesses. Then they use the money they get from us when they sell us stuff to buy Russian oil, which is processed by refiners, and they make a bunch of money there,” he added.
Navarro claimed that the “road to peace runs through New Delhi”.
Navarro said,“President Trump sees that chessboard beautifully. And you guys need to write about that.”
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hit back at Washington.
“We are not the biggest buyer of Russian oil, that’s China. Nor of LNG, that’s the EU. We were actually encouraged to stabilise global energy markets, including through Russian oil purchases. The logic now being used against us is perplexing,” Jaishankar said.
August 28 – ‘Modi’s war’
Navarro today (August 28) went off on a rant against India in a TV interview.
Navarro claimed that India was indirectly funding Russia’s war in Ukraine through its purchases of crude oil.
He even went to the extent of declaring the conflict – which Began with Moscow invading Kyiv in February 2022 – as “Modi’s war”.
“Everybody in America loses because of what India is doing. Consumers, businesses, workers lose because I ndia’s high tariffs cost us jobs, and factories, and income and higher wages. And then the taxpayers lose, because we’ve got to fund Modi’s war”, Navarro said.
“And then the next thing that happens of course is that Ukraine and Europe come to us and say give us more money. So everybody loses because of what India is doing. The road of peace runs right through New Delhi. It’s Modi’s war. That’s a lot of money”, Navarro claimed. “India can get 25 per cent off tomorrow if it stops buying Russian oil and helps to feed the war machine”.
But Navarro wasn’t finished. He further slammed Indians as arrogant.
“What’s troubling to me is that the Indians are so arrogant about this. They say, ‘Oh, we don’t have higher tariffs. Oh, it’s our sovereignty. We can buy oil from anyone we want.’”
He also took aim at India status as the world’s largest democracy.
“India, you’re the biggest democracy in the world, OK? Act like one”, Navarro added.
He accused India of getting in bed with “ authoritarian nations”.
“India — you’re getting in bed with authoritarians. China invaded Aksai Chin and all your territory. They are not your friends. And Russia? Come on!” Navarro said.
India has hit back at Navarro.
Vinay Kumar, Delhi’s Ambassador to Moscow, was quoted as saying, “We have clearly stated that our objective is the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India, and India’s cooperation with Russia, as with several other countries, has helped to bring about stability in the global oil market”.
Navarro’s latest comments come just days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to China on August 31 to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Modi is set to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO summit.
With inputs from agencies