India has firmly rejected comments made by White House Trade adviser Peter Navarro, describing them as inaccurate and misleading, particularly regarding India’s procurement of Russian crude oil. Navarro accused India of strategic freeloading while criticizing its military ties with Russia, particularly amidst a downturn in US-India relations following increased tariffs on Indian goods. India defended its oil purchases as driven by national interests, noting a significant rise in Russian oil imports from 1.7% in 2019-20 to 35.1% in 2024-25, emphasizing the unjust nature of tariffs imposed selectively on India while China, a larger importer, faced no penalties. This situation highlights the complexities of geopolitical alliances and energy security for India.