Navarro Criticizes India's Oil Trade With Russia Amid US-India Tensions

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has launched a scathing critique against India's purchase of Russian crude oil, asserting that such transactions directly finance Moscow's ongoing war in Ukraine. Navarro's opinion piece in the Financial Times accuses India of acting as a global intermediary for embargoed Russian oil, converting it into high-value exports and providing Russia with needed funds, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The Trump administration, including Navarro, has repeatedly targeted India over its oil acquisition, linking it to the broader geopolitical tensions with Russia. India's government, steadfast in its defense, cites its domestic economic needs as justification, highlighting that both the US and the European Union trade more extensively with Russia. India's Ministry of External Affairs pointedly remarks on the apparent double standards in existing trade practices.

Adding to the escalating tension, Navarro criticized India for its warming ties with Russia and China, suggesting that New Delhi must distance itself if it wishes to be regarded as a strategic ally of the US. The criticism coincides with US tariffs imposed on Indian goods, complicating the ongoing negotiations for a free trade agreement between the two nations.

(With inputs from agencies.)