Trump Aide Sparks Controversy with New ‘India-Russia Oil Math’ Comments on Putin

Former Trump aide and senior White House adviser Peter Navarro has intensified his criticism of India’s energy ties with Russia, claiming that New Delhi’s purchase of discounted Russian crude effectively funnels money into Vladimir Putin’s war chest.

Navarro’s comments come just after the Trump administration’s 50% tariffs on Indian imports took effect, a move explicitly linked to India’s continued sourcing of Russian oil. He argued that the tariffs were aimed not merely at trade disputes, but at cutting off financial support to Moscow.

“President Trump’s 50% tariffs on Indian imports are now in effect. This isn’t just about India’s unfair trade — it’s about cutting off the financial lifeline India has extended to Putin’s war machine,” Navarro said in posts on X. The former adviser outlined what he called the “India-Russia oil mathematics,” claiming that India uses its trade surplus with the US to buy discounted Russian crude while restricting American exports:

“American consumers buy Indian goods while India keeps out US exports through high tariffs and non-tariff barriers. India uses our dollars to buy discounted Russian crude.” Navarro accused Indian refiners, in collaboration with “silent Russian partners,” of profiting from discounted Russian oil and exporting refined fuels globally, while channeling hard currency back to Moscow to fund the war in Ukraine.

“Indian refiners refine and flip the black-market oil for big profits on the international market – while Russia pockets hard currency to fund its war on Ukraine,” he said.

He claimed that India’s Russian oil imports have surged post-invasion, driven by profit motives rather than domestic demand, and described India’s energy sector as a “refining hub and oil money laundromat” for the Kremlin. According to Navarro, India now exports over 1 million barrels of refined petroleum daily, more than half of its Russian crude imports, with proceeds benefiting politically connected elites.

Linking these actions to the US trade deficit, Navarro added:

“While the United States pays to arm Ukraine, India bankrolls Russia even as it slaps some of the world’s highest tariffs on US goods. We run a $50-billion trade deficit with India — and they’re using our dollars to buy Russian oil. They make a killing and Ukrainians die.”

He also criticized India’s defence policies, noting its continued purchase of Russian weapons while seeking sensitive technology transfers from the US, calling it “strategic freeloading.”

Navarro concluded by contrasting Trump’s approach with that of the Biden administration:

“The Biden admin largely looked the other way at this madness. President Trump is confronting it. A 50% tariff — 25% for unfair trade and 25% for national security — is a direct response. If India wants to be treated like a strategic partner of the US, it needs to act like one. The road to peace in Ukraine runs through New Delhi.”