Ukraine conflict is “Modi’s war” - Trump aide

50% tariffs on India will be halved if it stops purchasing Russian oil, US trade adviser Peter Navarro has said

A senior trade adviser to US President Donald Trump has claimed the Ukraine conflict is effectively Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “war,” alleging that New Delhi’s discounted oil purchases from Moscow are helping Russia’s armed forces.

Speaking to Bloomberg TV on Wednesday, Peter Navarro said India would immediately have 50% US tariffs reduced to 25% if it stopped buying Russian oil.

”I mean, it is essentially Modi’s war because the road to peace runs, in part, through New Delhi,” he said.

Navarro’s remarks coincided with the implementation Trump's 50% tariffs on Indian goods, one of the highest in global trade. 

Last week, Navarro made a similar accusation that India’s discounted purchases of Russian oil are indirectly supporting Moscow’s troops, and even branded the South Asian nation a “laundromat for the Kremlin.”

Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar responded that nobody is “forced” to buy oil products from his country. “Europe buys [Russian energy products], America buys, so you don't like it, don't buy it,” he said.

New Delhi has strongly condemned the US tariffs as “unfair and unreasonable,” arguing that Western nations themselves do even more business with Moscow. India insists that its imports from Russia serve the national interest and help ensure affordable energy for its consumers.

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