'He needs to be with us, not Russia': Peter Navarro calls Modi’s meeting with Xi, Putin a mistake

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro escalated his criticism of India, calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping a strategic mistake. 

“It is a shame to see Modi getting in bed with Xi Jinping and Putin,” he said. “I'm not sure what he's thinking. We hope he comes around to seeing that he needs with us and not Russia.”

Navarro’s remarks come at a time of rising friction between Washington and New Delhi, triggered by a 50% U.S. tariff on Indian goods and India’s continued purchases of discounted Russian crude. 

“There’s a two-prong problem with India,” Navarro said. “Twenty-five percent is reciprocal — because of unfair trade — and the other 25 percent is because India is buying oil from Russia.”

Calling India the “Maharaja of tariffs,” Navarro claimed the country imposes the highest tariff rates among major economies and refuses to acknowledge it. “They are in denial about that,” he said. “They try to tell everybody that it’s not true — and it is demonstrably true.”

He contrasted India’s posture with that of other trade partners. “They have not engaged with us as Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, the European Union has. They simply think they can continue having their way with us. President Trump is not going to allow that.”

On energy, Navarro accused India of profiteering. “Putin gives India a discount. They refine it, sell it at premium prices to Europe, Asia, and Africa,” he said. “They can’t stand on the thin reed that they need this oil to run their cars or cool their homes. It’s false.”

His comments also reflected frustration with India’s geopolitical balancing act. “India has been in a Cold War — and sometimes a Hot War — with China for decades,” Navarro noted. “It doesn’t make any sense.”