'Got firebombed': Trump aide Navarro recalls backlash after remarks on India

US senior trade and manufacturing advisor Peter Navarro stated that President Donald Trump and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi share a "very good working relationship." They plan to resolve their differences over trade issues, particularly the US tariffs on India's imports of Russian oil, according to Navarro.

Navarro recalled facing backlash in India following an op-ed he wrote during the Ukraine-Russia war. He noted that India's involvement in oil trade with Russia increased after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, contributing to the war effort. The issue, however, has been resolved, possibly due to Navarro's op-ed, but he warned against such online attacks.

Navarro emphasized that the resolution of trade problems would be managed by Trump and Modi themselves. He reiterated that it's not the American way to interfere in such matters, stating that the President and Prime Minister will handle the issue between themselves. The remarks come as concerns grow in India about potential US trade measures targeting countries that continue to buy Russian energy.

On August 7, the US Senate passed the Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, giving the President discretionary power to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from the top five purchasers of Russian crude oil or natural gas. Both India and China rank among the largest buyers of Russian crude oil.