X fact-checkers corrected Navarro, saying India’s purchases are legal, driven by energy security, and do not violate sanctions.
BY PC Bureau
US President Donald Trump’s senior trade adviser, Peter Navarro — known for his repeated attacks on India’s trade and foreign policy decisions — once again targeted New Delhi on social media. But this time, his claims were flagged and fact-checked by X (formerly Twitter), which labeled them “hypocritical.”
In a post, Navarro accused India of “profiteering” from discounted Russian oil imports.
“FACTS: India highest tariffs cost US jobs. India buys Russian oil purely to profit. Revenues feed Russia’s war machine. Ukrainians/Russians die. US taxpayers shell out more. India can’t handle truth/spins,” Navarro wrote.
X’s fact-checking note quickly contradicted him, clarifying that India’s Russian oil purchases are for “energy security” and “do not violate sanctions.” The note further pointed out that while India maintains certain tariffs, the US enjoys a trade surplus in services with New Delhi and itself continues to import specific commodities from Russia. “That makes Navarro’s criticism hypocritical,” it added.
Another fact-check stated: “India’s legal, sovereign purchases of Russian oil for energy security do not violate international law. Meanwhile, the US continues to import billions in Russian goods, including uranium, exposing a clear double standard.”
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Navarro lashed out at the correction, accusing X owner Elon Musk of allowing “propaganda.”
“Wow. @elonmusk is letting propaganda into people’s posts. That crap note below is just that. Crap. India buys Russian 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 wrote.
Navarro has consistently sharpened his criticism of India since Trump imposed secondary tariffs on Indian exports over Russian oil trade. Tariffs on Indian goods now stand at over 50 percent — the steepest among Trump’s new list, alongside Brazil.
Wow. @elonmusk is letting propaganda into people’s posts. That crap note below is just that. Crap. 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 Ukranians. Stop taking… https://t.co/Uj1NMUrVOM
— Peter Navarro (@RealPNavarro) September 6, 2025
Hours after the punitive tariffs took effect, Navarro declared that the Russia-Ukraine conflict had become “Modi’s war,” alleging India’s oil purchases were fueling Moscow’s aggression. He has since accused New Delhi of running a “profiteering scheme” and branded India the “Maharaj of tariffs.” In a recent controversial remark, Navarro described India as a “laundromat for the Kremlin,” adding a casteist taunt: “You got Brahmins profiteering at the expense of the Indian people,” while accusing refiners of reselling Russian crude at a premium.
Strain in India-US ties
Navarro’s barbs come against the backdrop of rising tensions between New Delhi and Washington. Shortly after the tariff hike, PM Narendra Modi, attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, was seen exchanging warm gestures with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Images and videos of the three leaders hugging and smiling fueled speculation of a closer trilateral bond, even as ties with Washington appeared strained.
Days later, Trump claimed the US had “lost India to China,” though he quickly backtracked.
“I don’t think we have lost India. I’ve been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia. I let them know that. We put a very big tariff on India — 50 percent, a very high tariff. I get along very well with PM Modi, as you know. He was here a couple of months ago, and we had a press conference in the Rose Garden,” Trump told reporters.
He reiterated that India-US relations remain a “very special relationship” and stressed that he and PM Modi would “always be friends.”
PM Modi, for his part, struck a conciliatory note. “Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of our ties. India and the US have a very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership,” he said.
