Image Source: Agencies

Aug 22, 2025: India is a "Maharaj" in tariffs and it is running a "profiteering scheme" by using discounted Russian crude oil, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro has said, in yet another sharp criticism of New Delhi.
Navarro made these remarks on the same day that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the US had asked New Delhi to buy Russian oil to help stabilize global energy markets in response to American officials' criticism of India's energy ties with Russia. The White House Trade Adviser also talked about how India is "cozying up to" Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The relations between New Delhi and Washington are on a downturn after US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent including a 25 per cent additional duties for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.
"Prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, India virtually bought no Russian oil... It was like almost one per cent of their need. The percentage has now gone up to 35 per cent," Navarro told reporters in the US.
Navarro's fresh attack on India came three days after he wrote a piece in the Financial Times slamming the country for its procurement of Russian crude oil.
He said the argument that India needs Russian oil to meet its energy requirement does not make any sense.
He stated, "it is purely profiteering by the Indian refining industry" that they obtain chip Russian oil and refine products for high prices in Europe, Africa, and Asia. "What is the net impact on Americans because of our trade with India? They are Maharaj in tariff. "American workers and American businesses suffer as a result of our higher non-tariff barriers, massive trade deficit, and other factors," he stated. The money they get from us, they use it to buy Russian oil which then is processed by their refiners, he said. "The money is used by the Russians to build weapons and kill Ukrainians, and Americans must pay for more aid and military equipment for Ukrainians. That's insane." He stated, "India does not want to recognize its role in the bloodshed," adding that India is engaged in a "profiteering" scheme. Though the US imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on India for its energy ties with Russia, it has not initiated similar actions against China, the largest buyer of Russian crude oil.
Defending its purchase of Russian crude oil, India has been maintaining that its energy procurement is driven by national interest and market dynamics.
India turned to purchasing Russian oil sold at a discount after Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and shunned its supplies over its invasion of Ukraine in February, 2022.
Consequently, from a mere 1.7 per cent share in total oil imports in 2019-20, Russia's share increased to 35.1 per cent in 2024-25, and it is now the biggest oil supplier to India.