‘I got firebombed’: Peter Navarro on Indian backlash over Russian oil, Trump-Modi tariff talks
White House counselor Peter Navarro faced intense online backlash after criticizing India's increased purchases of Russian oil following Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Navarro noted that India had previously imported minimal amounts of Russian oil but significantly ramped up purchases afterward. He claimed his Financial Times op-ed correctly pointed out this shift, which fueled Russia's war effort.
Despite facing a "firebombing" of comments from Indians on the internet, Navarro stressed that U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi share a "very good working relationship" and will resolve any issues, including potential U.S. tariffs on Russian energy imports. The Senate recently passed the Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which would allow Trump to impose up to 100% tariffs on Russia's top five crude oil buyers if needed.
As the legislation moves to the House, concerns arise about its implications for India, which relies on imports to meet over 88% of its crude oil needs, with Russia being its largest supplier.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
