India-US Tariff Row: With New Delhi refusing to bow down to America’s bullying and China extending a friendly hand towards its adversary India, the Donald Trump administration has found itself embroiled in criticism over tariffs on India. With each passing day, Trump administration officials are making wild charges and reckless comments against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a fresh attack on India, Trump’s Trade Adviser Peter Navarro has tried to divide Indians on caste-lines. In an interview with Fox News, Navarro said that while Modi is in bed with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indians have failed to understand the situation, as Brahmins are profiteering from the Russian oil purchase.
Navarro’s Casteist Slur
Interestingly, observing that India has responded to American tariffs with unity rather than fear, officials in the Trump administration are now attempting to exploit caste divisions as a means of provocation. Navarro now claims that Brahmins are profiteering from the Russian oil purchase.
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“Modi is a great leader. I don’t understand why he is in bed with Putin and Xi Jinping when it’s the biggest democracy in the world. I would say to the Indian people, please understand what is going on. You have got Brahmins profiteering at the expense of the Indian people. We need that to stop,” said Navarro.
Why is Navarro so concerned about the caste of whoever in India ‘benefits’ from oil imports? Why would an aide of the American president wade into caste wars in India on an American news network. Blatant gaslighting. pic.twitter.com/DC2uNvuGR5
— Smita Prakash (@smitaprakash) September 1, 2025
‘Modi’s War’
Navarro is the same US official who termed the Russia-Ukraine conflict as ‘Modi’s war’. In an earlier interview on Bloomberg Television’s Balance of Power, Navarro argued that India, by purchasing discounted oil from Russia, is effectively ‘helping’ Moscow. He further contended that New Delhi’s actions harm the United States as a whole. According to Navarro, American consumers, businesses, and workers bear the cost of India’s high tariffs, which he claimed result in job losses, factory closures, reduced income, and suppressed wages. “…the taxpayers lose, because we’ve got to fund Modi’s war,” he said.
Trump’s trade advisor’s fresh diatribe comes as Prime Minister Modi meets Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Tianjin of China on the sidelines of the SCO summit. India is exploring options to diversify its trade as US tariffs are impacting exports. Washington has imposed an additional national security tariff of 25 per cent on Indian goods, taking the total duty to 50 per cent from August 27.