• Source:JND
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US President Donald Trump’s trade advisor, Peter Navarro, has stirred controversy with his remarks on India’s purchase of Russian oil, which have sparked mixed reactions from political leaders in India. In an interview with Fox News on Monday, Navarro accused “Brahmins of profiteering at the expense of the Indian people” and described New Delhi as “nothing but a laundromat for the Kremlin.”

He also used the occasion to defend Donald Trump’s decision to impose 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods. While acknowledging Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “great leader,” Navarro questioned why India, the world’s largest democracy, would align itself with Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.

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"And on top of that, by the way, 25 per cent or 50 per cent is because India is the Maharaja of tariffs. They have the highest tariffs in the world. They won't let us sell to them, so who gets hurt, workers in America, taxpayers in America. Ukrainians in cities are getting killed by Russian drones," the White House Trade Adviser said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

"So, you know, look, Modi's a great leader. But I don't understand why he's getting into bed with Putin and Xi Jinping. When he's the leader of the biggest democracy in the world. I would just simply say to the Indian people. Please, understand what's going on here. You've got Brahmins profiteering at the expense of the Indian people. We need that to stop," Peter Navarro added.

Indian political leaders Reaction On Peter Navarro Remark On “Brahmins”

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Choudhry said, “Peter Navarro’s Invocation of a particular caste identity in India to make his point, even if it is to imply the ‘privileged lot’ vis a vis the rest, is shameful and sinister. PS: spare me sermons on usage of the word Brahmins  in American context. The usage of the word Brahmin (yes elite Boston Brahmins US context am aware) by someone senior in US Administration cannot come out of the blue in India’s context, this was deliberate. So please sit down and explain this one.”

Trinamool Congress leader Sagarika Ghose posted on X, "Boston Brahmin” was once a widely used term in the US to refer to the American New England wealthy elite. “Brahmin” is still a term used in the English speaking world to denote social or economic “elites” ( in this case the rich). The illiteracy on X is astonishing."

TMC leader Saket Gokhale wrote on X, "Classic case of ignorance (and I don’t mean Navarro) Peter Navarro is from Cambridge, MA. In New England (esp Boston & around where he’s from), the term “Brahmin” is used for someone that’s extremely rich. BJP “ecosystem” spokespersons should start reading some real books."

Peter Navarro Remark On “Brahmins”

Last week, former Trump trade advisor Peter Navarro labeled New Delhi a “laundromat for the Kremlin,” accusing India’s elite of profiteering “at the expense of the Indian people” while defending the Trump administration’s steep tariffs on Indian exports, tariffs he noted were harsher than those imposed on China and Turkey, both of whom also buy Russian crude. 

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Navarro argued that India’s close ties with Moscow and Beijing were destabilizing global order, remarks that coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to China in seven years for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, where he held meetings with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.