India is coming to the table, says Donald Trump's trade adviser Navarro ahead of talks with New Delhi

Navarro remarked ahead of the arrival of a US team to New Delhi to discuss a bilateral trade deal.

Speaking to CNBC, Navarro said: “India is coming to the table. On the trade side, they have very high tariffs.”

He targeted India over its trade policies and called it “maharaja of tariffs”.

“Indian refiners were in bed with Russian refiners immediately after the invasion. They make money off us via unfair trade and many workers get screwed. They use that money to buy Russian oil, and Russians use that to buy weapons," he said.

Earlier, he had expressed his anger and displeasure after India snuggled with Russia and China at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in the backdrop of the tariff war between New Delhi and Washington.

Navarro said India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi being a democratically elected leader cosying up with "authoritarians" like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping is "shameful".

Speaking to the reporters, Navarro said, "It was a shame to see Modi, the leader of the biggest democracy in the world, getting in bed with the two biggest dictators in the world, Putin and Xi Jinping. That doesn't make any sense.

"I'm not sure what he is thinking particularly since India has been in a cold war and sometimes in a hot war with China for decades."

Last week, US President Donald Trump has admitted that his imposition of 50 percent tariff on India over its Russian oil purchase has soured the relation between Washington and New Delhi.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump said, "Look, India was their (Russia's) biggest customer. I put a 50% tariff on India because they're buying oil from Russia. That's not an easy thing to do."

"That's a big deal. And it causes a rift with India," the President added.

The remarks came days after Trump reached out to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the trade issues and ongoing tariff war.

In his Truth Social post, Trump said: "I am pleased to announce that India, and the United States of America, are continuing negotiations to address the Trade Barriers between our two Nations."

"I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries!"

Responding to Trump's outreach, Modi said, "India and the US are close friends and natural partners. I am confident that our trade negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the India-US partnership.

"Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest. I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump. We will work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future for both our people."

US-India tariff war

The Trump administration, which was earlier viewed as India-friendly, has slapped a 25 percent tariff on the South Asian country for its high tariffs on American exports and another 25 percent for purchasing oil from Russia which is fighting a war against Ukraine.

Since the conflict in Ukraine began in early 2022, India significantly increased its imports of discounted Russian crude oil—now comprising over 30 percent of its total crude imports.

Indian refineries then export refined petroleum products globally which critics, especially in the U.S., argue that indirectly supports Russia’s war effort by funneling money into its economy.

In response, the US proposed tariffs and trade measures targeting India’s exports to discourage this behavior.

India said that, like any major economy, it will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.

Modi unequivocally said India won't compromise on the interests of farmers, fishermen and livestock rearers.