Trump singling out India, sabotaging New Delhi-Washington ties

The lawmakers argued that the decision undermines its stated goal of pressuring Russia over the war in Ukraine. "It’s almost like it's not about Ukraine at all," the committee added.

The criticism came a day after Trump’s revised tariff policy on India took effect. The president had initially announced 25 percent “reciprocal tariffs” on Indian goods but later doubled the figure to 50 percent, citing New Delhi’s continued oil imports from Russia.

Trump's India tariffs

India faced the steepest hike, while other nations such as China and Turkey were largely spared, facing tariffs of 30 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

The move is widely seen as a pressure tactic by Washington to push India toward concessions in the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). However, New Delhi has strongly opposed the decision.

In a response issued on August 6, India’s Ministry of External Affairs called the US action “extremely unfortunate” and “unjustified,” noting that the country’s energy imports are guided by market realities and the need to ensure energy security for 1.4 billion people.

"We reiterate that these actions are unfair, unjustified and unreasonable. India will take all necessary steps to safeguard its national interests," the statement said.

Trump adviser's remarks about India

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro ramped up his criticism of India's Russian oil imports, accusing New Delhi of financing Russia's war in Ukraine and dubbing the conflict "Modi’s war."

"I mean Modi's war, because the road to peace runs, in part, through New Delhi," Navarro said during a Bloomberg Television show.