White House trade adviser Peter Navarro on Monday sharply criticised India’s trade practices, branding the country the “maharaja of tariffs.” This comes weeks after he alleged that Indian elites were profiteering while ordinary workers bore the burden.
Navarro told CNBC International, “Indian refiners were in bed with Russian refiners immediately after the invasion. They make money off us via unfair trade and many workers get screwed. They use that money to buy Russian oil, and Russians use that to buy weapons.”
He went on to say, “India is coming to the table. On the trade side, they have very high tariffs.”
This was not the first time Navarro attacked New Delhi’s approach. He had previously questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, remarking, “Look, the Indian people need to understand what’s going on here. You got Brahmins profiteering at the expense of the Indian people. We need that to stop.”
US concerns over tariffs
Earlier, in a separate interview with Axios, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also expressed frustration with India’s tariff barriers. He argued, “India brags about having 1.4 billion people but won’t buy even a small amount of American corn,” warning that India risked facing a “tough time” in its trade dealings with Washington unless duties were reduced.
The comments came against the backdrop of Washington’s growing focus on tariff reciprocity under President Donald Trump’s administration. Trump had earlier slapped a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, later doubling it to 50 per cent, citing India’s continued purchase of Russian oil. The higher duties came into force on August 27.
High-level trade talks in New Delhi on Tuesday
Despite the tensions, India-US trade negotiations are moving forward. According to news agency ANI, Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on Monday night (September 15) for a day-long meeting on September 16 with his Indian counterpart.
India’s chief negotiator, Rajesh Agrawal, Special Secretary in the Department of Commerce, will lead discussions from the Indian side. Talks are centred on finalising an interim arrangement under a proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), which both sides initiated in March this year. The aim is to conclude the first phase of the deal by October–November 2025.
Agriculture and dairy remain sensitive areas for New Delhi, given their role in providing livelihoods to millions. These sectors have been flagged as sticking points in the discussions.
Trump-Modi exchange of warmth
Amid the tariff disputes, there have also been signs of political reassurance. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded warmly to US President Donald Trump’s comments on bilateral relations, posting on X: “Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of our ties. India and the US have a very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership.”
From Washington, Trump described the relationship as “very special” and stressed that he and PM Modi “would always be friends,” asserting there was “nothing to worry about.”
