'Brahmins Profiteering': Trump Advisor Makes Casteist Remarks As He Slams India For Russian Oil Purchase
White House trade advisor Peter Navarro targets India over Russian oil imports, calling it a "laundromat for the Kremlin" while defending Trump’s 50% tariffs.
White House trade advisor Peter Navarro has escalated his criticism of New Delhi, calling India “nothing but a laundromat for the Kremlin” while defending US President Donald Trump’s steep tariffs on Indian exports. Navarro, in a recent Fox News interview, linked India’s imports of discounted Russian crude to Moscow’s war machine in Ukraine.
He alleged, “What happened? Well, the Russian refiners went in and got into bed with big oil India. Putin gives (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi a discount on the crude. They refine it and they ship it to Europe, Africa and Asia at a big premium and they make a ton of money.”
According to Navarro, the move not only strengthens Russian President Vladimir Putin but also puts American taxpayers on the hook to fund Ukraine’s defense.
'Maharaja of Tariffs' Remark Sparks Tensions
Navarro further branded India as the “Maharaja of tariffs,” asserting that New Delhi’s high trade barriers block US exports while Indian goods freely enter the American market. “They export us a bunch of stuff. They won't let US sell to them. So, who gets hurt? Workers in America, taxpayers in America, Ukrainians in cities get killed by Russian drones,” he said.
“I want Indians to understand what is going on. Brahmins are profiteering by buying Russian oil at the expense of the Indian people,” says Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro pic.twitter.com/9FVfRR5lks
— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) September 1, 2025
While acknowledging Prime Minister Modi as a “great leader,” Navarro questioned India’s ties with Moscow and Beijing, asking why the world’s largest democracy would align with authoritarian powers.
Brahmins Accused of Profiteering
In one of his most controversial remarks, Navarro alleged that Indian elites were exploiting the situation for personal gain. “I would just say the Indian people, please, understand what's going on here. The Brahmins are profiteering at the expense of the Indian people. We need that to stop.”
His comments come as Washington has doubled tariffs on Indian imports to 50 percent, arguing that New Delhi’s trade with Russia undermines Western sanctions. He also compared India’s tariff regime with that of China, saying both nations face similar levels of US levies.
India Pushes Back at Double Standards
India, for its part, has highlighted the continued trade between Russia and Western nations, including the European Union’s imports and Washington’s purchases for its civil nuclear industry. Officials in New Delhi argue that the criticism unfairly singles out India while ignoring the West’s own commercial links with Moscow.
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