‘India can’t handle truth’: Navarro again targets India over tariffs, Russian oil imports

US President Donald Trump’s close aide and Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing in the Trump administration, Peter Navarro, has once again launched a sharp attack on India’s trade and energy policies in a post on X.

He alleged that India’s “highest tariffs” were costing American workers their jobs and accused New Delhi of buying Russian oil purely for profit.

“India highest tariffs costs US jobs. India buys Russian oil purely to profit/Revenues feed Russia war machine,” he wrote. “Ukrainians/Russians die. US taxpayers shell out more.”

FACTS: India highest tariffs costs U.S. jobs. India buys Russian oil purely to profit/Revenues feed Russia war machine. Ukrainians/Russians die. U.S. taxpayers shell out more. India can't handle truth/spins @washpo
Leftist American fake news. QED. https://t.co/9UwdodYBEe

— Peter Navarro (@RealPNavarro) September 5, 2025

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Just a day earlier, after Washington raised tariffs on Indian products to 50 per cent, Navarro had described the Russia-Ukraine conflict as “Modi’s war,” adding that “the road to peace runs, at least partly, right through New Delhi.”

Critics, however, point to the double standards in such remarks, noting that both Europe and the US remain engaged in trade with Moscow. President Trump himself extended a warm welcome to Vladimir Putin at the Alaska summit, while the US continues to import fertilisers and rare earths from Russia. The European Union, meanwhile, remains heavily dependent on Russian natural gas.

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Navarro’s criticism comes against the backdrop of ongoing strains between Washington and New Delhi over tariffs and India’s energy imports from Moscow. The US has argued that Russian oil revenues are fueling the war in Ukraine, while India has maintained that its energy purchases are driven solely by economic and commercial needs.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reinforced that stance on Friday.

“Whether it is Russian oil or anything else, it’s our decision to buy from the place which suits our needs… So, where we buy our oil from…we will have to take a call which (supply source) suits us the best. So, we will undoubtedly be buying it,” she told CNN-News18.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump sought to downplay tensions with New Delhi, describing ties as “special,” just a day after saying Washington had “lost India and Russia” to China. On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded by saying he deeply appreciated and fully reciprocated Trump’s “positive assessment” of the relationship.