India Rejects Navarro's Claim of Funding Russian War

India has pushed back strongly against allegations made by United States trade adviser Peter Navarro, who accused New Delhi of bankrolling Moscow's war effort through purchases of Russian crude oil.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

In a detailed response to Navarro's recent social media thread, official sources told the Sunday Guardian that his assertions reflected "an over simplistic and incorrect understanding" of global oil markets.

They stressed that India's crude imports remain within international norms, including the G7 and European Union price cap mechanism, and have been crucial in keeping global energy prices stable since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022.

Navarro, now serving as senior counselor for trade and manufacturing in the Trump administration, alleged that Indian refiners had become a conduit for Russian oil exports and accused New Delhi of using American trade dollars to fund discounted crude purchases. He also charged India with imposing steep tariffs on American goods while benefiting from access to the U.S. market.