Saralnama
White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro sharply criticized India for purchasing discounted Russian crude oil, accusing it of running a "profiteering scheme" by refining cheap Russian oil and selling products at premium prices globally. Navarro highlighted that India's share of Russian oil imports rose from nearly 1% before Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine to 35% in 2024-25, making Russia India's largest oil supplier. He also accused India of imposing high tariffs and non-tariff barriers that harm American workers and businesses. Navarro linked India's payments for Russian oil to funding Russia's military actions in Ukraine, calling it "insane." These remarks came amid deteriorating India-US relations after President Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, including a 25% tariff related to India's Russian oil purchases. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar responded by noting that the US had requested India to help stabilize global energy markets by buying Russian oil. Despite US tariffs on India, similar measures have not been taken against China, which is the largest buyer of Russian crude. India maintains its energy procurement is based on national interest and market dynamics. The comments were made on August 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Updated 22 Aug 2025, 08:52 IST; source: link)