Trump’s sales advisor Navarro Slams India for the purchase of Russian oil

In a strongly written chronicle, Navarro – long in a fellowship voice and now an important force behind the Punitive World Prices by Donald Trump – linked the trade barriers of India and what he described as financial support for Russia, representing relations that take place at the expense of the United States

“American consumers buy Indian goods,” he said. “India uses these dollars to buy Russian gross at reduced prices.”

The Ministry of External Affairs of India did not respond to an email asking for comments on the Navarro column. The Southern Asian country has defended its right to buy the cheapest source oil. The threat of additional sanctions and prices for the purchase of Russian crude is “unreasonable” and “extremely unhappy,” said Randir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, earlier this month.

Historically, India has not been an important importer of Russian crude, depending more on the Middle East. This changed in 2022, after the invasion of Ukraine and a price ceiling of $ 60 per barrel imposed by the group of seven nations which aimed to limit the oil revenues of the Kremlin while keeping the supplies worldwide. India’s ability to buy cargoes at reduced prices was a characteristic of this mechanism recognized by US officials.

Russia represented a negligible part of the total imports of India in 2021, and the country tended to depend much more in the Middle East. Today, Russia represents around 37% of imports, according to the KPLER data analysis company.

“This wave has not been motivated by domestic oil consumption needs. On the contrary, what really animates this trade is the benefit of the great oil lobby of India, “said Navarro.” In fact, India acts as a global exchange center for Russian oil, converting raw embargo into high -value exports while giving Moscow the dollars he needs. »»

He also made a blow in the magnate of India oil and their links with the government. Reliance LTD., owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, was among buyers of Russian crude. He bought cargoes under long -term contracts.

“The product takes place towards the politically connected energy titans of India, and in turn, in the war trunk of Vladimir Putin,” said Navarro.

In recent weeks, Trump has struck India with a rate rate of 50% – higher that he has placed on regional peers, in part to punish New Delhi for his Russian purchases. The doubling of an original sample comes into force next week.

“This two -component policy will strike India where it hurts – its access to American markets – even as it seeks to cut the financial rescue that it has extended to the war effort of Russia,” said Navarro. “If India wants to be treated as a strategic partner in the United States, it must start acting as such.”

India is the only great economy to be struck by what Trump calls “secondary prices”, although Beijing buys more Moscow crude. Trump – Eager to reduce the United States’s trade deficit with India – floated the possibility of higher samples from China during its Russian purchases, Navarro minimized this possibility, suggesting that higher levels would harm the American economy.