Hours before American chief negotiator Brendan Lynch’s arrival in New Delhi, White House trade advisor Peter Navarro launched a sharp attack on India’s trade practices.
Speaking to CNBC International on Monday, Navarro alleged that Indian refiners were “in bed with Russian refiners immediately after the invasion,” using profits from unfair trade with the US to purchase Russian oil, which in turn “funds weapons.”
“India is coming to the table. On the trade side, they have very high tariffs,” Navarro added, underscoring Washington’s growing frustration with New Delhi’s protectionist policies.
Lynch, who serves as the Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, is set to land in India on Monday night, September 15.
He will resume formal negotiations with India’s commerce department special secretary Rajesh Agrawal on Tuesday, in a bid to reset the stalled trade talks.
