India refutes Peter Navarro’s claims on ‘Brahmin profiteering’, calls them misleading

Reacting to Navarro’s remarks, MEA clarified, “We have seen some inaccurate statements made by him. We reject them.”

The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday strongly dismissed the comments made by White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, categorizing them as “inaccurate.” Addressing the matter in an official statement, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have seen some inaccurate statements made by him. We reject them.”

Navarro had made these remarks while backing the 50 percent tariff imposed by former US President Donald Trump on Indian imports, alleging that “Brahmins” were taking undue advantage and profiteering at the cost of ordinary Indians.

This is not the first time that Trump’s key aide has taken aim at New Delhi. In recent months, Navarro has frequently criticized India over its continued purchase of Russian crude oil, while also justifying the additional 25 percent tariff levied by Washington on Indian goods.

During an interview with Fox News, Navarro linked India’s oil trade with Russia to global tensions, claiming that before the Ukraine conflict erupted in February 2022, India’s engagement with Russian crude was negligible.

Explaining his point, Navarro said, “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.”

He went further to allege, “India is nothing but a laundromat for the Kremlin. It kills Ukrainians.”

Expressing concern over India’s increasing alignment with Moscow and Beijing, Navarro stated, “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.”

In response, New Delhi has firmly defended its energy strategy, underscoring that sourcing decisions are based on prevailing market conditions and the nation’s security considerations.

India has reiterated that its approach to energy imports is “guided by what is on offer in markets and prevailing global situation,” further stressing that choices are shaped by “national security imperatives and strategic assessments.”