Trump aide asserts ‘It’s Modi war in Ukraine’ road to peace runs through New Delhi
By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – White House official Peter Navarro, a top aide of US President Donald Trump on Thursday has claimed that the Russia-Ukraine conflict is essentially Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s war and argued that India’s purchase of discounted Russian Federation oil is fueling the conflict.
Navarro also underscored that the road to peace in Ukraine partly runs through New Delhi in an interview with Bloomberg.
“I mean, it is essentially Modi’s war because the road to peace runs, in part, through New Delhi,” he said.
Navarro also hinted that the US President would straightaway revoke the additional 25 per cent tariffs on India, provided New Delhi stops purchasing Russian oil.
His remarks came a day after the 50% tariffs on Indian imports to the United States kicked in.
Trump’s administration initiated a 25% “reciprocal” tariff on Indian imports, aimed at addressed trade imbalances and stalled negotiations.
Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff as a punitive measure for India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, raising the cumulative tariff level to 50%.
He had doubled the tariffs on Indian imports to the United States, accused New Delhi of sponsoring Russia’s war in Ukraine.
New Delhi said that it will never compromise on steps taken in the national interest.
Trump has tried to reach to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on at least four occasions, but the latter avoided his phone calls.
According to a report by German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Modi refused to take four phone calls from President Trump in recent weeks.
Japanese outlet Nikkei Asia echoed the claim, reported that PM Modi was deliberately avoiding Trump’s calls.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledged that the current India-US relationship is “complicated” but expressed optimism that the two countries will come together at the end of the day.
“This is a complicated relationship. President Trump and Prime Minister Modi have a very good relationship at that level. It’s not just over the Russian oil. The Indians came in early after Liberation Day to start negotiating on tariffs and we still don’t have a deal. I thought we would have a deal in May or June. I thought India could be one of the earlier deals and they kind of tapped us along in terms of the negotiations and then there is also the aspect of the Russian crude purchases which they’ve been profiteering on,” Bessent had said.
