Trump's Advisor Threatens India Again Over Trade Policy

US President Donald Trump's trade advisor, Peter Navarro, has threatened that it "won't end well" for India if New Delhi doesn't "come around" at some point in trade negotiations with the United States. In an interview with the 'Real America's Voice' show, Trump's trade czar doubled down on his claim that India was the 'Maharaja' of tariffs.

"But it's absolutely true. They have the highest tariffs in any major country in the world against the United States. We got to deal with that," Navarro said.

He claimed that India never bought oil from Moscow before Russia invaded Ukraine, "except for like little tiny drops of it." "And then they go into this mode of profiteering with Russian refiners coming on to Indian soil and profiteering," and American taxpayers end up having to send more money for the conflict, he said.

Historically, India was not a significant importer of Russian crude, depending more heavily on the Middle East. But that changed in 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine and the Group of Seven (G-20) nations imposed a $60-per-barrel price cap to limit the Kremlin's oil revenue while ensuring that supplies continued to flow globally. India's ability to purchase discounted cargoes was a feature of that mechanism, US officials have acknowledged.

The White House adviser listed the "great" trade deals that the US has inked with the European Union, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Indonesia, saying "all these countries are working very closely with us" because they realise that they've been taking too much advantage of the US and also because they need American markets.

"I think India must come around at some point. And if it doesn't, it's lying down with Russia and China, and that won't end well for India," he warned.

On additional sanctions on China, which is the largest purchaser of Russian oil, Navarro said, "We're walking a fine line here with all of this. I think that what's got to happen is India's got to stop buying Russian oil. That's going to be good for the whole peace; the road to peace partly runs through New Delhi."

"Europe certainly has to stop buying Russian oil....with China, we got over 50 per cent tariffs on them, and we're doing the best we can in terms of negotiating to protect the American people without hurting the American people." "And that's the Kabuki and the art of diplomacy that we've got going on. And you just got to trust in Trump," he added.

He also attacked the BRICS alliance and called the member countries 'vampires' whose unfair trade practices are affecting American coffers. He claimed that the BRICS member countries cannot survive if they do not sell to the United States, as their exports were affecting the Americans due to "unfair trade practices".

"The bottom line is that none of these countries can survive if they don't sell to the United States, and when they sell to the United States, their exports they're like vampires sucking our blood dry with their unfair trade practices. Let's see what happens. But I don't see how the BRICS stays together since historically they all hate each other and kill each other," he said.

He also claimed that the alliance was not working out as the countries, as "historically they all hate each other and kill each other".

"Let's see how this is going to work out... Russia is getting into bed with China. China claims they own Vladivostok- the Russian port, and they're already through massive illegal immigration into Siberia, basically colonising Siberia, which is the biggest landmass of the Russian semi-empire, so good luck with that, Putin, and then India, of course, is at war with China for decades.

It was China that gave Pakistan a nuclear bomb. You got ships flying around the Indian Ocean now with Chinese flags. Modi, see how you kind of worked that out. Meanwhile, the Brazilian economy is going down the tubes because of Lula's socialist policies- well, they keep the real leader of that country in a cell. Let's see what happens...I don't see the BRICS alliance lasting"

His remarks followed the BRICS virtual summit hosted under the chairmanship of Brazil. From India, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar represented PM Modi at the virtual summit.