Peter Navarro Slams India Over Ties with Russia and China, Calls Tariffs "Modi's War"

Former White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has once again criticized India over its continued purchase of Russian oil, this time making a pointed and controversial claim: India is "getting in bed with authoritarians." His remarks, made during an interview with Bloomberg Television on Wednesday, come just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on August 31 and September 1 — his first visit to China since 2018.

Navarro, a senior adviser to former President Donald Trump, expressed deep frustration over India’s growing engagement with both Moscow and Beijing, referring to them as authoritarian regimes. He questioned India's strategy in warming ties with China, despite the ongoing border disputes.

“India, you are getting in bed with authoritarians. China invaded Aksai Chin — your territory. They are not your friends. And Russia? Come on!” Navarro said, referencing the disputed border region of Aksai Chin, which is controlled by China but claimed by India.

In the same interview, Navarro went further, controversially blaming Prime Minister Modi for prolonging the war in Ukraine. “This is Modi’s war,” he said, suggesting that India's energy ties with Russia are helping finance the Kremlin’s military campaign. “The road to peace runs, in part, through New Delhi.”

Navarro accused India of enabling Russia’s war machine by purchasing discounted Russian crude oil, refining it, and selling it globally at a profit — actions he claims are indirectly supporting the war effort against Ukraine.

“India can get 25 per cent off tomorrow if it stops buying Russian oil and helping to feed their war machine,” he said, referring to the new 25% tariff imposed on Indian imports by the Trump campaign — tariffs that took effect Wednesday, bringing total U.S. duties on Indian goods to 50%.

Despite his harsh tone, Navarro still referred to Prime Minister Modi as “a great leader,” but said he was baffled by India’s economic and foreign policy choices. “This is a mature democracy with intelligent people running it, and they look us bald-faced in the eye on the tariff part and say, ‘We don't have the highest tariffs in the world,’ when, in fact, they do.”

India has so far not responded directly to Navarro’s comments. However, New Delhi has previously described U.S. tariffs as “unjustified and unreasonable,” emphasizing that, like any sovereign nation, it will act to protect its economic and national interests.

Navarro concluded with a final warning, suggesting that as the world’s largest democracy, India should “act like one” and reconsider its alignment. “Don’t side with the authoritarians,” he said.

PM Modi’s upcoming visit to China — part of a broader diplomatic thaw with Beijing that began last year — is being closely watched as tensions over trade, security, and foreign alliances remain high.