White House senior counsellor Peter Navarro said on Tuesday that he was "firebombed by the Indian continent on the internet" after writing an op-ed criticising India's purchases of Russian oil.
Meanwhile, he also asserted that ties between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained strong despite ongoing trade tensions.
Responding to a question on the sidelines in Washington, DC, about a bill backed by Senator Lindsey Graham that proposes a 100% tariff on India and its potential impact on India-US trade talks, Navarro said, "With respect to your question, the President and your Prime Minister have a very good working relationship. They are going to work that out amongst themselves, and it's not for me to get between that."
#WATCH | Washington, DC (US): "...With respect to your question, the President and your Prime Minister have a very good working relationship. They are going to work that out amongst themselves, and it's not for me to get between that...," says U.S. presidential counselor Peter… pic.twitter.com/zClGwhXOTT
— ANI (@ANI) August 12, 2026
He went on to defend an earlier op-ed he had written on the subject.
"During the Ukraine-Russia war, 6-8 months ago, I think I wrote an op-ed in the Financial Times, which absolutely factually correctly pointed out that prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia, but afterwards it got heavily involved and was selling a lot of refined products on behalf of Russia, which helped feed the war machine. And that issue has been resolved," Navarro said.
He added that the backlash to his remarks online had been strong.
"Maybe I had a little bit to do with that op-ed, but I can tell you, I got actually firebombed by the Indian continent on the internet. All I would say to you, don't do that. That's not how we resolve problems here in America," he said.
Navarro reiterated that the trade relationship between the two countries would ultimately be settled at the leadership level.
ALSO READ: 100% Tariffs On India? 'Leaders Will Work It Out', Says Trump Aide On Russian Oil Bill
Navarro's remarks come amid increased frictions between Washington and New Delhi over India's Russian oil purchases, which have emerged as a flashpoint in bilateral trade talks.
The US Senate on August 7 passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by an 86-11 vote, giving Trump discretionary authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the top five buyers of Russian crude oil and gas — a list that currently includes India, China, Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia.
ALSO READ: India's Russian Oil Imports Hit Record For Second Month In Row Even As 100% Tariff Sword Looms
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