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India rejects Peter Navarro’s ‘Brahmin profiteering’ remark as inaccurate
On Peter Navarro's remark, MEA said, “We have seen some inaccurate statements made by him. We reject them.”
The ministry of external affairs on Friday dismissed remarks by White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, calling them “inaccurate.” In a statement, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have seen some inaccurate statements made by him. We reject them.”
Earlier, while defending the 50% tariff on imports from India imposed by US President Donald Trump, Navarro had claimed that “Brahmins” are profiteering at the expense of Indian people.
This is not the first time Trump’s adviser has made explosive statements, in recent months, he has repeatedly criticized India over its Russian oil imports while trying to defend the extra 25 per cent tariff that Trump imposed on New Delhi.
What Peter Navarro said
Navarro was commenting on India’s purchase of Russian oil, in an interview with Fox News, when he claimed that before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, India had little engagement with Russian crude.
“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 said.
He further alleged, “India is nothing but a laundromat for the Kremlin. It kills Ukrainians. ”
Trump aide said he failed to understand why India was deepening ties with Moscow and Beijing. “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,” he added.
Meanwhile, New Delhi has consistently defended its energy sourcing, maintaining that purchases are driven by market realities and security concerns.
India has said its policy is “guided by what is on offer in markets and prevailing global situation,” and determined by “national security imperatives and strategic assessments.”
