Washington, 7 September (H.S.): White House advisor Peter Navarro erupted on Sunday after a community note on X fact-checked his post criticizing India’s oil trade with Russia, alleging it funded Russia’s war machine. Users clarified that India’s purchases were for energy security and did not breach sanctions. They highlighted that while India does impose tariffs, the U.S. maintains a trade surplus with India in services and also imports commodities from Russia, calling Navarro’s stance hypocritical.

Navarro dismissed the community note as nonsense and accused Elon Musk of allowing propaganda on his platform. He reiterated his claim that India is profiteering from Russian oil and condemned the Indian government’s narrative. His flagged post reflected ongoing allegations against India coinciding with President Biden’s announcement of increased tariffs on Indian imports.

His criticisms included claims that India’s tariffs harm U.S. jobs and that their oil purchases contribute to the suffering in Ukraine. Navarro’s rhetoric has escalated over time, using derogatory terms for India and accusing its leadership of various wrongdoings. A recent remark claiming Brahmins are profiteering from the situation was rejected as inaccurate by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, which criticized his statements. The context of these criticisms includes an additional 25% tariff from Trump on Indian imports effective since August 27, bringing the total tariff to 50%, prompted by India’s Russian oil purchases.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar