Hindu groups in the United States are demanding the removal of Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro after he made remarks accusing India’s Brahmin community of profiteering from discounted Russian oil, sparking a storm of criticism both in the US and India.
Speaking at a recent policy discussion, Navarro claimed that India was acting as a “laundry for the Kremlin,” purchasing crude oil from Russia at discounted prices, refining it, and then selling it to Europe at a profit. In his comments, he singled out “Brahmins,” suggesting they were reaping the benefits of the trade “at the expense of the Indian people.”
“India is nothing more than a laundromat for the Kremlin… you’ve helped the Brahmins profit at the expense of ordinary Indians. This has to stop,” Navarro said, without clarifying why he referred specifically to the Brahmin community.
The remark has been met with strong backlash from Hindu advocacy groups in the United States, who accuse Navarro of fueling caste-based divisions and displaying what they describe as “colonial arrogance.”
Ajay Shah, executive director of the Washington-based advocacy group HinduPACT, called the comment “pure Hinduphobia.” “This has nothing to do with foreign policy,” Shah said. “It is a divisive remark targeting Hindus with a colonial mindset.”
Deepthi Mahajan, president of the same organization, added: “If Navarro was addressing Hindus as a community, this is religious bigotry. If he was addressing India’s leadership, it is a diplomatic misstep. Either way, the statement is reckless.”
The controversy has spilled over into Indian political circles as well. On X, Indian parliamentarian Sagarika Ghosh sought to contextualize the comment, noting that the phrase “Boston Brahmins” was historically used in the United States to describe wealthy elites. “Even today, some English speakers use ‘Brahmin’ as a shorthand for the rich,” Ghosh explained, suggesting Navarro’s usage may have drawn from that lineage.
Still, Hindu groups argue the impact of his words is deeply damaging. “This is an attempt to sow divisions among Hindus,” Shah said. “We reject this rhetoric and call for his immediate dismissal from the Trump campaign.”
Navarro, who has been a close adviser to Trump since his first administration, also criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. “I don’t understand why the world’s largest democracy would choose to stand with Putin and Xi,” he said.
With Trump campaigning for a return to the White House in 2025, Navarro’s remarks threaten to strain relations with Indian-American voters, many of whom see his words as inflammatory and divisive.
