US President Donald Trump’s trade adviser, Peter Navarro, has once again taken aim at India, reiterating his criticism of New Delhi’s trade practices and calling the country “literally the Maharaja of tariffs” following the SCO summit.
Navarro has accused India of being in denial about its high import barriers. Navarro argued that India’s trade restrictions prevent American businesses from exporting to the country, even as India continues to benefit from U.S. imports.
"The problem is that India literally is the Maharaja of tariffs. It has the highest tariffs of any major country in the world and it's in denial about that. It tries to tell everybody out there that that's not true when it is demonstrabably true," Navarri was quoted as saying by Forbes Breaking News on Monday.
They (India) should engage with us. They haven't done that as Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, the European Union has, Navarro said, adding that India “simply think[s] they continue having their way with us".
Navarro also condemned India’s growing oil trade with Russia. He claimed that India purchased almost no Russian oil before Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Since then, Russian refiners have partnered with Indian companies to supply discounted crude, which India refines and sells at premium prices abroad, he added.
Navarro described the arrangement as “nothing but profiteering” and dismissed claims that the imports were necessary for India’s domestic energy needs.
“India cannot stand on the thin reed that somehow they need this oil to run their cars or cool their homes. It’s false. Just simply false,” Navarro said, framing the trade as indirectly funding Russia’s military operations in Ukraine.
India-China in a 'hot and cold war'
Navarro said that India has historically been in a cold war—and at times a hot war—with China for decades.
India-China in a 'hot and cold war'
Navarro said that India has historically been in a cold war—and at times a hot war—with China for decades.
He noted that China has repeatedly supported Pakistan’s military and helped develop its nuclear weapons, while also carrying out incursions into Indian territory, particularly in Aksai Chin.
“China has invaded India repeatedly. And actually has taken territory from India and still holds it,” he said.
He also highlighted China’s ongoing strategic pressure in the Indian Ocean, noting that Chinese patrols challenge Indian sovereignty in the region.
At the same time, Navarro criticised the growing economic entanglement between Chinese companies and Indian businesses, describing the relationship as “toxic.”
Furthermore, he alleged that China is increasingly using India as a transshipment hub for goods to circumvent Indian tariffs, which has allowed Chinese products to reach other markets at lower cost while avoiding trade barriers.
“China and its entrepreneurs and oil refiners are getting into bed with Indian business people. A lot of this dumping now occurs because China is using India as a big transshipment hub for all sorts of products to avoid Indian tariffs,” Navarro said.
Navarro accuses India of hurting American businesses
Navarro cautioned India that its current trade and energy strategies could have significant consequences for its relationship with the U.S.
“India charges the highest tariffs in the world. Has the highest non-tariff barriers. So they export a bunch of stuff to us. We can't export to them. Our workers and our businesses get hammered by India,” Navarro said.
Moreover, he linked India’s trade barriers directly to its energy imports from Russia.
“India then uses the money we give them buying their exports to buy Russian oil. The Russians use the money from the Russian oil to build more bombs and weapons and drones to kill Ukrainians. And then the Ukrainians come to us in Europe to ask for more money from our taxpayers to pay for that. That's crazy,” Navarro said.
Source Name : Economic Times