Daijiworld Media Network – Washington
Washington, Sep 7: White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has escalated his attacks on India’s purchase of Russian crude oil, this time drawing tech billionaire Elon Musk into the row.
In a sharp post on X, Navarro claimed that “India buys Russia oil solely to profiteer” and lashed out at Musk for allowing a community note that flagged his remark as “hypocritical.” He alleged that New Delhi’s energy trade “feeds Russia’s war machine,” while accusing India of undercutting American jobs.
“Wow. @elonmusk is letting propaganda into people’s posts. That crap note below is just that. Crap,” Navarro wrote. “India buys Russia oil solely to profiteer. It didn’t buy any before Russia invaded Ukraine. Indian govt spin machine moving high tilt. Stop killing Ukrainians. Stop taking American jobs,” he added.
Navarro has repeatedly attacked India in recent weeks, even branding it an “oil money laundromat for the Kremlin” and accusing New Delhi of “strategic freeloading” by importing Russian oil and weapons while seeking advanced defence technologies from the US.
India has strongly dismissed the charges, calling them “inaccurate and misleading,” and reiterated that its energy purchases are based on national interest and market dynamics. After Western sanctions on Moscow in 2022, India began buying discounted Russian crude to meet its energy needs.
Relations between New Delhi and Washington have hit turbulence after former US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, including an additional 25% duty tied to India’s Russian oil imports. India slammed the move as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” while questioning why China — the largest importer of Russian oil — faced no such penalties.
The fresh spat comes even as bilateral trade ties between the two nations face increasing strain.