India can get 25% tariff relief tomorrow if it stops buying Russian oil, says Trump's trade advisor
President Donald Trump’s trade advisor, Peter Navarro, said that the US is willing to withdraw the additional 25% tariff imposed on India on condition that the latter immediately halts buying oil from Russia.
“It’s real easy, India can get 25% off tomorrow if it stops buying Russian oil and helping to feed the war machine,” Navarro said in an interview with BloombergTV on Thursday, August 28.
The White House trade and manufacturing advisor added that the “road to peace” in the Russia-Ukraine war “goes through New Delhi, in part.”
The remarks follow 50% tariffs on imports from India that came into effect from August 27. The US imposed an additional 25% tariff, reasoning that the country is helping Russia continue the war in Ukraine.
Read more: 50% Tariffs On India: The stocks and sectors that could take a hit
Navarro further stated that India’s purchase of the Russian oil at a discounted price hurts the US, its citizens, and businesses, adding that India has one of the highest tariffs in the world.
“Everybody in America loses because of what India is doing. Consumers, businesses, workers lose because India’s high tariffs cost us jobs, and factories, and income and higher wages,” Navarro told BloombergTV.
Responding to a question on whether India is sending a signal that it would stop buying Russian oil, Navarro said, “They’re not. And look, here’s a thing, I’m puzzled, because Modi is a great leader. And this is a mature democracy with intelligent people running it. And they look us bald-faced in the eye on the tariff part and say, ‘We don’t have the highest tariffs in the world.’ When in fact, they do. There’s no dispute about that if you look at the numbers.”
“And then they say, ‘We are not going to stop buying Russian oil.’ Now, what does that mean?” he added.
India should support democracies
On the improving India-China relations, Navarro said that India should support democratic countries and not authoritarians, as it is the world’s largest democracy.
“The Indians are so arrogant about this. They say, ‘Oh, we don’t have higher tariffs. Oh, it’s our sovereignty. We can buy oil from anyone we want.’ India, you’re the biggest democracy in the world. Act like one. Side with democracies,” he said.
“You’re getting in bed with the authoritarians. China, you’ve been at war with them for decades. They invaded Aksai Chin and all your territory. These are not your friends, folks,” remarked Navarro.