Trump Adviser Slams PM Modi Over SCO Summit With Putin, Xi; Calls India’s Russian Oil Trade ‘Shameful’

US President Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro has launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for appearing alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in China.

Navarro described the move as “a shame,” accusing India of aligning with “the two biggest authoritarian dictators in the world.”

Navarro’s Remarks on India’s Role

Speaking to reporters, Navarro said:

“The road to peace in many ways runs partly through New Delhi. It was a shame to see Modi, the leader of the world’s biggest democracy, getting in bed with Putin and Xi Jinping.”

He urged India to stand with Europe and Ukraine instead of purchasing Russian oil, adding that the US was closely monitoring India’s trade activities.

Allegations of ‘Profiteering’ From Russian Oil

Navarro also accused Indian businesses of profiteering from the resale of Russian crude:

• Claimed that refined Russian oil sold to the West was “at the expense of the Indian people.”
• Repeatedly referred to the conflict as “Modi’s war.”
• Branded India as “Kremlin’s laundromat.”

During a Fox News interview, Navarro went further, alleging that “Brahmins are profiteering” from the ongoing energy trade.

Trade War and US Tariffs on India

Earlier this month, the Trump administration imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, including an additional 25% levy linked to Russian oil imports.

Navarro warned that India’s closer ties with Moscow and Beijing risked isolating New Delhi from democratic allies.

India, in response, rejected the tariffs as “unjustified and unreasonable,” vowing to take measures to protect its economic interests.

Legal and Political Pushback in US

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently ruled that most of Trump’s global tariffs were unlawful. Following this, Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee urged Speaker Mike Johnson to terminate Trump’s “national emergency” declaration, which underpins his tariff regime.

The Bigger Picture

Navarro’s latest remarks add fuel to the ongoing US-India tensions over trade and geopolitical alignments. While Washington pressures New Delhi to scale back ties with Russia, India continues to stress that its decisions are guided by national interest and energy security.