'Deeply troubled': AJC slams Peter Navarro's 'Modi's war' remark; calls for reset of vital India-US ties

The American Jewish Community (AJC) on Friday expressed concern and dismay over recent remarks by White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, who labelled the Russia-Ukraine conflict as “Modi’s war.” In a tweet, the AJC said it was “mystified, and deeply troubled, by the chorus of attacks on India by US officials.”

"AJC is mystified, and deeply troubled, by the chorus of attacks on India by U.S. officials -- the latest being a White House advisor's scurrilous charge that Russia's brutal aggression against Ukraine is "Modi's war," the community wrote in a post on X.

AJC is mystified, and deeply troubled, by the chorus of attacks on India by U.S. officials -- the latest being a White House advisor's scurrilous charge that Russia's brutal aggression against Ukraine is "Modi's war." We regret energy-hungry India's reliance on Russian oil -- but… pic.twitter.com/oAEvQxf5Ul

— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) August 28, 2025

Navarro, in a Bloomberg interview, argued that India’s purchases of discounted Russian oil were “fuelling Russia’s war machine,” claiming that American taxpayers were indirectly funding the conflict.

His comments follow the Trump administration’s imposition of 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, a punitive measure linked to New Delhi’s continued energy trade with Moscow.

While the AJC acknowledged India’s reliance on Russian energy, it stressed that the country is not responsible for Russian President Vladimir Putin's war crimes.

The community called India “a sister democracy and an increasingly important strategic partner of the United States” and urged for a “reset” in the bilateral relationship, highlighting India’s crucial role in global strategic competition.