Trump adviser claims India is Kremlin ‘laundromat’

India does not need to import Russian oil and is behaving like a “laundromat” for the Kremlin, US President Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro has claimed.

Talking to reporters on Thursday, Navarro said he expects 25% punitive tariffs on Indian imports to take effect as planned on August 27 due to the South Asian nation's continued oil purchases from Russia. 

Navarro’s comments came hours after Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said New Delhi is “perplexed” with the logic of the US tariffs. 

“Prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, India virtually bought no Russian oil,” Navarro said. “It was like almost 1% of their need. The percentage has now gone up to 35%... They don't need the oil. It's a refining profit-sharing scheme. It's a laundromat for the Kremlin. That's the reality of that.”

The trade adviser, who called India a “tariff Maharaja” earlier this week, claimed the South Asian nation’s purchase of Russian oil is not leading to peace in Ukraine. “India doesn’t appear to want to recognize its role in the bloodshed,” Navarro added. “It simply doesn’t. It’s cozying up to [Chinese President] Xi Jinping.” 

Earlier this month, the US said it would impose an additional 25% tariff on imports from India over New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian crude. The new tariffs, which are due to take effect on August 27, come in addition to the 25% slapped on New Delhi after India and the US could not reach a trade deal.

”President Trump sees that chessboard beautifully,” Navarro said. “In many ways, the road to peace runs through New Delhi.”

During his Moscow trip this week, Jaishankar countered US criticism of India's trade relations with Russia. “We are a country where, actually, the Americans said for the last few years that we should do everything to stabilize the world energy markets, including buying oil from Russia,” he said.