Not Putin, But Modi? Navarro’s Bizarre Blame Game on Ukraine
“Peter Navarro’s claim that Ukraine is ‘Modi’s war’ exposes America’s double standards. By targeting Bharat over Russian oil while sparing Europe, Washington reveals its struggle to accept a multipolar world where New Delhi refuses to bend.”
Paromita Das
New Delhi, 30th August: In global politics, words often reveal more than they intend. When Peter Navarro, former trade adviser to Donald Trump, declared that the Ukraine conflict was “not Putin’s war, but Modi’s war,” he offered more than a soundbite—he revealed America’s deep frustration with Bharat’s independent stance. Navarro’s tearful outburst on camera, where he pleaded with Bharat to stop buying Russian oil, was less about Ukraine and more about Washington’s struggle to control a partner that refuses to bend.
For Bharat, the spectacle is telling. The world’s self-proclaimed defender of democracy is exposed as a nation that punishes independence and rewards obedience. And in this confrontation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to have caught the proverbial snake by the tail.
Navarro’s Bizarre Accusation
In a Bloomberg interview, Navarro suggested that peace in Ukraine “runs through New Delhi,” asserting that Bharat’s discounted Russian oil imports are financing Moscow’s war machine. According to him, if Bharat stopped its purchases, it would instantly win a 25% tariff reduction from the US.
But this argument collapses under scrutiny. Europe, America’s closest ally, continues to import Russian energy in volumes far exceeding Bharat’s. Yet Europe is not threatened, fined, or branded as a war enabler. Instead, Navarro directs his ire at Bharat, labeling its insistence on sovereignty as “arrogance.” His rhetoric exposes not Bharat’s duplicity but America’s double standards.
A Snake Unmasked
Navarro may have intended to shame Bharat, but his rant ended up exposing Washington’s duplicity. For decades, the US has armed Pakistan while condemning Bharat for authoritarianism. It has punished Bharatiya exports while quietly tolerating Europe’s trade with Russia. Navarro’s tears reveal the hypocrisy: when Bharat secures its energy needs, it is accused of funding war; when Europe does the same, it is framed as pragmatism.
The message to New Delhi is clear—America wants not partners but pawns. And in refusing to play that role, Bharat has forced Washington to show its true face.
Trump’s Tariff Hammer
Navarro’s fury coincided with a Trump-era policy that slapped punitive tariffs on Bharatiya goods, some as high as 50%. This marked the harshest reciprocal action against any Asian economy, crippling Bharat’s exports in key sectors like textiles, gems, and jewelry.
Framed as punishment for “Modi’s war,” the tariffs were meant to bend Bharat’s will. Yet, the hypocrisy remains glaring: while Bharatiya exporters face crippling duties, European firms continue trading with Russia unscathed. It is less about principles and more about power—about punishing Bharat for daring to chart its own course.
The Multipolar Reality America Fears
What Navarro refuses to acknowledge is the fundamental shift in world order. The US no longer commands a unipolar globe. Instead, a multipolar world is emerging, with New Delhi, Moscow, Beijing, and others asserting equal weight.
Bharat’s energy strategy is not reckless aggression but pragmatic survival. With 1.4 billion citizens to serve, discounted Russian oil is an economic necessity. Ironically, the G7’s $60 price cap on Russian crude was designed to enable precisely such discounted sales. Bharat is simply taking advantage of the system the West itself created.
If Washington truly believed Navarro’s claim that Bharatiya oil purchases fund Putin’s war, why has it not imposed similar tariffs on China, which imports far more Russian energy? The answer lies in America’s selective outrage.
America’s Crybaby Politics
Navarro’s performance, pleading on camera for Bharat to stop buying Russian oil, symbolizes Washington’s deeper insecurity. He ignored Europe’s ongoing Russian imports and bypassed America’s own role in prolonging the war through endless weapons supplies. Instead, he turned Bharat into a scapegoat.
But Bharat is not the villain here. It is simply a sovereign democracy making choices in its national interest. For Washington, that is the real crime. As Navarro bluntly revealed, America cannot handle equals—it only knows how to command followers.
A Clash of Realities
Navarro’s statement, though bizarre, is instructive. It exposes the widening gulf between America’s self-image as global leader and the world’s reality as a multipolar stage. For Bharat, the lesson is clear: independence comes at a cost, but it also earns respect.
By refusing to bend to Washington’s pressure, Modi has not started a war—he has redefined Bharat’s place in global politics. Navarro’s frustration is not a sign of Bharat’s failure but of its growing influence.
Modi, the Snake, and the Tail
In trying to brand the Ukraine war as “Modi’s war,” Navarro inadvertently revealed Washington’s deeper anxiety—that Bharat is no longer a pliant partner. The imagery of a snake caught by the tail captures this perfectly: America writhes and lashes out, but it cannot break free from the reality of Bharat’s growing autonomy.
Navarro may cry on camera, threaten tariffs, and hurl accusations, but the world sees the truth. The Ukraine conflict is not Modi’s war. It is America’s inability to accept a world where Bharat acts for itself, not at Washington’s command.
