Trade Tensions: Tariffs and Russian Oil Cause Friction Between India and U.S.

U.S.-India relations are facing new challenges as White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro accuses India of running a 'profiteering scheme' by leveraging discounted Russian crude oil. He sharply criticized India's tariff practices, likening them to extortionate exploitation.

The remarks arrived just as India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar defended the nation's energy procurement strategy, emphasizing the need for global energy market stabilization, a request reportedly made by the U.S. itself.

Tensions further escalated following the U.S.'s decision to double tariffs on Indian goods and impose an additional 25 percent tariff due to its Russian oil purchases, highlighting deepening trade frictions with reverberations across diplomatic channels.

(With inputs from agencies.)