'India's Russian oil purchases laundromat for the Kremlin': Trump advisor
What's the story
White House trade advisor Peter Navarro has accused India of "refinery profiteering" in its dealings with Russia. He described India's actions as a "laundromat for the Kremlin," suggesting that Indian refiners are making huge profits while fueling the war in Ukraine. "It's nonsense that India needs Russian oil," Navarro said, adding that India's oil purchase only went up after the Ukraine war.
Statement
India virtually bought no Russian oil earlier: Navarro
"Prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, India virtually bought no Russian oil...It was like almost one percent of their need. The percentage has now gone up to 35 percent... They don't need the oil. It's a refining profit-sharing scheme. It's a laundromat for the Kremlin. That's the reality of that," Navarro said. He also said that President Donald Trump is unlikely to extend the August 27 deadline for doubling tariffs on Indian imports.
Economic impact
Navarro's criticism of India
"Just six days from now, you see—I see that (the imposition of secondary tariffs on August 27) taking place. India doesn't appear to want to recognize its role in the bloodshed. It simply doesn't. It's cozying up to Xi Jinping; that's what it's doing," Navarro said. He also slammed India for its high tariffs and non-tariff barriers, calling them "Maharaja tariffs." He said these practices hurt American workers and businesses.
Oil
He pressed New Delhi to change course
"The money they get from us, they use it to buy Russian oil which then is processed by their refiners," he said. "The Russians use the money to build arms and kill Ukrainians and Americans tax-payers have to provide more aid and military hardware to Ukrainians. That's insane...India does not want to recognize its role in the bloodshed," he added. Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a great leader, he urged India to change course.
Diplomatic tensions
Jaishankar defends India's energy ties with Russia
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday defended India's energy ties with Russia. Speaking at a press briefing with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow, he said it was the US that had previously asked India to stabilize global energy markets, including buying oil from Russia. "We are a country where, actually, the Americans said for the last few years that we should do everything to stabilize the world energy markets, including buying oil from Russia," he said.