In a recent media appearance, Peter Navarro, former White House trade advisor, unleashed a barrage of criticism against India, China, and the BRICS economic alliance, employing inflammatory rhetoric to express his disapproval of their trade practices. Navarro's statements have further strained relations between the U.S. and these nations, particularly India, against whom he has directed a series of attacks in recent months.
Navarro asserted that the BRICS nations – initially comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and recently expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia – are like "vampires sucking our blood dry with their unfair trade practices". He argued that these countries are heavily reliant on selling exports to the U.S. and would struggle to survive without access to the American market. "None of these countries can survive if they don't sell to the US," Navarro stated. He also expressed skepticism about the long-term viability of the BRICS alliance, claiming the member countries "historically hate each other and kill each other".
Navarro has repeatedly singled out India for criticism, particularly regarding its trade relationship with Russia. He has described India's purchase of Russian oil as "blood money," alleging that it fuels Moscow's war on Ukraine. He has also accused India of "profiteering" from these imports. These remarks have come even after social media platform X (formerly Twitter) added "community notes" to Navarro's posts, pointing out that the U.S. also imports billions of dollars' worth of goods from Russia. Navarro has dismissed these fact-checks as "bullshit" and accused X of allowing "propaganda" on its platform.
Navarro has also labeled India the "Maharajah' of tariffs," claiming that it has the highest tariffs of any major country against the United States. He has warned that India "must come around" on trade negotiations with the U.S., or it "won't end well" for New Delhi. He suggested that India's current path aligns it with Russia and China, a geopolitical alignment he believes will be detrimental to India.
These comments follow a period of escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and India. The U.S. has recently doubled tariffs on Indian goods, including imposing a 25% additional duty on India's purchase of Russian crude oil. India has described these actions as "unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable". Despite the strained relationship, President Trump has also referred to India as a "special" partner.
Navarro's broadside against BRICS also echoes previous statements he has made regarding China. In May, he warned the United Kingdom against becoming a "dumping ground" for Chinese goods and "an all too compliant servant of the Chinese Communist Party," likening China to a "vampire" seeking to exploit other economies.
