Navarro: Trump and Modi Will 'Work Out' India Tariff Threat
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- Peter Navarro said Trump and PM Modi have a "very good working relationship" and will resolve the 100% tariff issue tied to India's Russian oil purchases "amongst themselves," and "it's not for me or any gaggle to get between that."
- The US Senate on August 7 passed the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by an 86-11 vote, a bipartisan margin that would authorize the President to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries continuing to import Russian oil and gas.
- The proposed legislation would target the world's five largest buyers of Russian crude or natural gas — India and China among them — and also includes sanctions on Vladimir Putin, senior officials, financial institutions, and older or reflagged oil tankers allegedly used to bypass restrictions.
- Navarro cited a Financial Times op-ed he wrote 6-8 months ago arguing that before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, India was not involved in Russian oil trade, but afterward became heavily involved, refining and reselling products that "helped feed the war machine."
- Navarro claimed the Russian oil issue "has been resolved," partly crediting his own op-ed, and warned Indians against online criticism of him: "don't do that, that's not how we resolve problems here in America."
- India significantly increased its purchases of discounted Russian crude after the 2022 Ukraine conflict began, helping refiners manage input costs amid global energy volatility; New Delhi has defended the purchases as driven by national interest.
Why it matters: The Senate passed the Lindsey Graham bill 86-11 on August 7 — a veto-proof margin — meaning Congress has already handed Trump the discretionary authority to hit India with 100% tariffs regardless of personal rapport with Modi. New Delhi now faces a concrete forced choice between continued discounted Russian crude and access to the lucrative US market, exactly as the bill's text intends.
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