“It’s not Putin’s war, it’s Modi’s war in Ukraine.” These are the words of Peter Navarro, US President Donald Trump’s senior trade adviser and one of Washington’s loudest protectionist voices. Navarro must be thanked for tearing off America’s mask and showing the world its true nature: not a dependable partner, but a snake. And right now, Modi seems to have caught that snake by the tail, leading to all the huffing, puffing, and whining from Washington. Navarro is literally crying on camera pleading India to stop buying Russian oil, while Europe continues to guzzle Russian gas with impunity.
Navarro’s Bizarre Claim: “Modi’s War, Not Putin’s War”
In a recent Bloomberg interview, Peter Navarro declared that the path to peace in Ukraine “runs, in part, through New Delhi.” He went further, saying the Ukraine conflict was “essentially Modi’s war” because India’s discounted oil purchases from Russia were helping “fund Moscow’s war machine.” According to him, India could instantly get a 25% tariff reduction from the US if it simply stopped buying Russian crude.
Navarro’s outburst was not merely about oil. It was about Washington’s inability to tolerate India exercising its sovereignty. In his words, Indians are “arrogant” for claiming they have the right to buy oil from whomever they want. To him, sovereignty is unacceptable when it does not sing to America’s tune.
A Snake Unmasked
Peter Navarro may have intended to shame India by calling the Ukraine crisis “Modi’s war,” but in reality, he has unmasked America’s duplicity. By crying on camera and pleading India to stop buying Russian oil, he has shown the world that Washington is less concerned with democracy and more concerned with control.
India does not need lectures from a nation that arms Pakistan while accusing New Delhi of authoritarianism. It does not need sermons from a government that punishes Indian exports while quietly watching Europe trade with Russia.
The truth is simple: America is not the world’s sole power anymore. The sooner it accepts the multipolar reality, the better for everyone. Until then, Navarro’s tears will remain the most entertaining proof that Modi has caught the snake by the tail and the snake is writhing.
Trump’s Tariff Hammer: Punishing India for Independence
As Peter Navarro was speaking, Donald Trump’s administration slapped a crippling 50% tariff on Indian goods the highest reciprocal levy the US has ever imposed on any Asian nation. More than half of India’s exports to the US now face these punishing duties, affecting key labor-intensive sectors like textiles, gems, and jewelry.
The message was clear: if India doesn’t bend, it will be broken. Navarro framed this as a direct penalty for what he dubbed “Modi’s war.” He claimed Indian oil imports allowed Russia to fund its weapons, forcing American taxpayers to spend more money on Ukraine. In his logic, US workers lose jobs, consumers pay higher prices, and taxpayers bleed all because New Delhi won’t obey Washington.
But here lies the hypocrisy: Europe continues to buy Russian oil and gas in volumes far exceeding India’s. Yet, Europe faces no such tariffs, no public shaming, and certainly no accusations of funding Putin’s war. For Navarro and his ilk, the blame must always fall on India never on Western allies.
America the Snake: Exposed by Navarro Himself
Peter Navarro’s rant confirms what many in India have long suspected that Washington sees New Delhi not as a friend, but as a pawn to be bullied. In fact, Navarro should be thanked for spelling this out bluntly. “America is not a friend but a snake,” goes the growing refrain in Indian discourse. Modi, by refusing to buckle under pressure, seems to have caught that snake by the tail, leaving Washington panicked and squealing.
The irony is almost comical. Navarro accused India of arrogance for saying it will act according to its national interest. But what is sovereignty if not the right to decide how to protect your energy security? When Navarro cries that India must stop buying Russian oil to “side with democracies,” he ignores the fact that Washington itself is openly courting authoritarian states and even hosting Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir the same military that has harbored and nurtured terrorism against India for decades.
So, who is really siding with “authoritarians”? The hypocrisy could not be clearer.
The Multipolar World America Refuses to Accept
Peter Navarro’s frustration is not just about tariffs or oil it’s about America’s refusal to accept reality. The US still behaves like it is the world’s only great power, barking orders and expecting obedience. But the world has moved on. We are no longer in a unipolar world; we live in a multipolar one where New Delhi, Moscow, Beijing, and other capitals matter just as much as Washington.
India’s energy strategy is not an act of aggression but a necessity. By purchasing discounted Russian oil, India keeps domestic energy prices stable for its 1.4 billion citizens. Washington might not like it, but it has no right to dictate otherwise. If anything, the US itself has admitted that discounted oil sales were a feature of the G7’s $60 price cap on Russian crude. India is simply using the system to its advantage.
And yet, Navarro insists that India is bankrolling the war in Ukraine. If this were true, why hasn’t Washington imposed the same tariffs on China, which buys even more Russian energy than India? The answer is simple: double standards.
America’s Crybaby Politics: Blame India, Ignore Europe
The real tragedy is not Navarro’s anger but his blindness. He pretends not to see Europe’s ongoing trade with Russia. He refuses to admit that without American weapons and billions in aid, the war in Ukraine would have ended long ago. Instead, he pins the blame squarely on Modi.
This is not about Ukraine. This is about Washington’s inability to handle a sovereign India. Navarro is essentially saying: how dare India not sing to America’s tunes? How dare India exercise its right to trade freely? How dare India stand tall as the world’s largest democracy without falling in line? For all its talk of democracy, Washington is proving it cannot accept partners it only wants followers.