Key points
- India’s dependence on Russian crude is “opportunistic”: Peter Navarro
- Says it’s deeply corrosive of the world’s efforts to isolate Putin’s war economy
- Trump has announced additional 25pc tariff on India for buying Russian crude
ISLAMABAD: White House trade adviser Peter Navarro says India’s purchases of Russian crude oil are funding Moscow’s war in Ukraine and have to stop.
Washington is ramping up pressure on New Delhi to cut off its energy imports from Russia.
In an opinion piece published in the Financial Times on Monday, Navarro wrote, “India acts as a global clearinghouse for Russian oil, converting embargoed crude into high-value exports while giving Moscow the dollars it needs.”
US President Donald Trump announced an additional 25pc tariff on Indian goods earlier this month, citing New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil.
The move will take total tariffs on imports from India to 50pc.
“Opportunistic and deeply corrosive”
Navarro added that India’s dependence on Russian crude is “opportunistic and deeply corrosive of the world’s efforts to isolate Putin’s war economy”.
India is the second-largest buyer of Russian oil, after China, and more than 30pc of its fuel is sourced from Moscow, providing revenue to the Kremlin amid Western sanctions.
“Cozying up” to Russia
India counts Russia among its closest defence partners, with the bulk of its weapons, including the S-400 missile defence system, sourced from Moscow. India has continued to maintain good ties with Russia, with Modi meeting Putin in Moscow amid the Ukraine war.
In the opinion piece on Monday, the White House adviser pointed out that India is “cozying up” to Russia and China.
“If India wants to be treated as a strategic partner of the US, it needs to start acting like one,” Navarro wrote.
