US trade adviser Peter Navarro sparked outrage by accusing Brahmins of ‘profiteering from Russian oil’ and justifying tariffs on India. His remarks, tied to US concerns over India’s Russia ties, drew sharp criticism from leaders and economists.
US President Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro has renewed his sharp criticism of India, accusing the country of ‘profiteering’ from discounted Russian oil and indirectly fueling Moscow’s war in Ukraine. In an interview with Fox News, Navarro described India as nothing but a laundromat for the Kremlin, alleging that Indian refiners were buying cheap Russian crude, refining it, and exporting fuels at a premium to Europe, Africa, and Asia. He justified Washington’s controversial 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports by claiming that New Delhi’s trade practices and foreign policy choices were harming American workers, taxpayers, and even Ukrainians caught in the war.
The controversial ‘Brahmins Profiteering’ remark
What set off fresh outrage was Navarro’s caste-based remark during his Fox News interview. He said, “You’ve got Brahmins profiteering at the expense of the Indian people. We need that to stop.”
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The comment, unprecedented in US trade diplomacy, was widely condemned in India. Critics argued that Navarro’s invocation of caste was both inaccurate and inflammatory, importing domestic American frustrations into India’s complex social landscape.
Linking India’s Oil imports to the Russia-Ukraine war
Navarro claimed that before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, India imported negligible amounts of Russian oil. But after sanctions on Moscow, Russian refiners began offering steep discounts. India increased imports to more than 1.5 million barrels a day, he said, exporting refined petroleum products onward. “Indian profiteers are making billions while Russia pockets hard currency to fund drones and missiles killing Ukrainians,” Navarro alleged. He added that India was using ‘American trade dollars’ to finance this oil trade, effectively extending a ‘financial lifeline’ to Putin’s war machine.
Modi, Xi and Foreign Policy Criticism
Navarro struck a contradictory tone on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, praising him as a ‘great leader’ but questioning his foreign policy choices. He criticised India’s closer ties with Russia and China, saying it undermined India’s democratic image.
“I don’t understand why he’s getting into bed with Putin and Xi Jinping when he’s the leader of the biggest democracy in the world,” Navarro said. He urged Indian citizens to “understand what’s going on” and push back against profiteering elites.
A repeat of past jibes: ‘Modi’s War’ and ‘Laundromat for Kremlin’
This is not the first time Navarro has made such remarks. Earlier, he labeled the Ukraine conflict as ‘Modi’s war’, arguing that India’s purchase of Russian crude directly empowers Moscow. He repeatedly used the phrase ‘laundromat for the Kremlin’ to describe India’s refining industry.
Navarro also highlighted what he called India’s ‘Maharaja of tariffs’ status. He said high Indian tariffs restrict American exports, hurting US workers and taxpayers. He claimed 25% of the new tariffs were a direct response to India’s protectionist trade policies.
India-China ties in the spotlight
Navarro’s latest attack came just after Prime Minister Modi held a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin. Both leaders reportedly welcomed progress in ties since their last meeting in Kazan in October 2024.
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Modi and Xi recognized the stabilizing role of their economies in global trade. Navarro, however, portrayed India’s engagement with both Beijing and Moscow as undermining global democratic alliances.
Tariffs declared ‘Illegal’ by US appeals court
Navarro defended the 50 per cent tariffs imposed on India by the Trump administration, even though a US Appeals Court has ruled the measures illegal. He called the tariffs a ‘good thing’, providing Washington with leverage in trade negotiations. Despite the legal setback, Navarro maintained that high tariffs are necessary to counter India’s trade practices and reduce its oil-linked profits from Russia.
Leaders in India slams Navarro’s remark
Navarro’s ‘Brahmin’ remark sparked swift backlash in India. Congress leader Pawan Khera told ANI that the comment was baseless and unbecoming of a senior US official. “America should not make baseless statements like this”, he said.
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Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi criticised Peter Navarro for invoking a caste identity to make his point, calling it shameful and sinister. She added that excuses about the term’s usage in the American context are unacceptable.
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TMC MP Sagarika Ghose contextualized the term ‘Brahmin’, noting its historic use in Western societies to denote elites, such as the ‘Boston Brahmins’ of New England. She wrote on X, “Brahmin’ is still a term used in the English-speaking world to denote elites. The illiteracy on X is astonishing.”
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Economist Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of India’s Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, called Navarro’s words ‘derived from colonial jibes going back to James Mill’. He argued it reflected how narratives about India and Hindus are controlled in American intellectual spaces, pointing to Edward Said’s theory of Orientalism as relevant for India.
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BJP MP Dinesh Sharma dismissed Peter Navarro’s “Brahmin profiteering” remark as factually wrong, culturally insensitive, and contextually misleading. He said Samajwadi Party rhetoric may have influenced it and urged the US to reconsider, highlighting PM Modi’s successful Japan and China visits.
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US narrative versus Indian position
The controversy highlights deepening trade and geopolitical friction between Washington and New Delhi. While the US frames India’s Russian oil imports as undermining sanctions and funding war, Indian officials maintain that discounted oil is essential for domestic energy security. India has consistently defended its neutral stance on the Ukraine war, calling for peace talks and dialogue while refusing to sever ties with Moscow.
Navarro’s repeated criticisms reflect growing frustration within Washington over India’s refusal to align fully with Western sanctions. By invoking caste, he appeared to frame India’s oil trade as benefiting only a narrow elite while ordinary Indians suffer. However, analysts argue that such remarks risk alienating India further, especially at a time when both countries share strategic interests in countering China.
Peter Navarro’s ‘profiteering Brahmins’ comment has ignited anger in India, adding a cultural flashpoint to already fraught trade tensions. As the Trump administration defends its tariffs and continues to pressure New Delhi over Russian oil, the controversy may strain US-India relations further.