Washington: Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro has once again turned his focus on India, intensifying his criticism of New Delhi’s trade and energy policies. Speaking in an interview with Real America’s Voice, Navarro accused India of being the “tariff king,” imposing higher duties on the U.S. than on any other nation. He also alleged that India, which barely imported Russian oil before the Ukraine war, is now buying it purely for profits, thereby indirectly funding Moscow’s military campaign.
Navarro urged India to sign a trade deal with the U.S., pointing out that the European Union, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Indonesia had already done so. He warned that aligning too closely with Russia and China would hurt India’s long-term interests. At the same time, he defended America’s dealings with China while singling out India’s Russian oil imports as unacceptable.
Meanwhile, social media platform X’s fact-checkers dismissed Navarro’s claims as misleading, clarifying that India’s oil imports do not violate international sanctions and that even the U.S. continues to import Russian goods. Elon Musk also weighed in, stating that X’s community notes correct misinformation without exceptions. In response, an irate Navarro lashed out at both Musk and X, dismissing the fact-checks as “garbage” and accusing the platform of shielding India.