US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue surrounding the threat of US tariffs linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said on Tuesday.

Navarro’s remarks came days after the US Senate passed a bill authorising the US President to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five purchasers of Russian oil. The measure argues that such purchases directly contribute to financing Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Navarro comments on India’s Russian oil trade

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Navarro said India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia before the Ukraine war began in 2022.

He alleged that India became heavily involved in the trade after Russia’s invasion and sold refined products on behalf of Russia, which he said helped support the Russian war effort.

“Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia, but afterwards it got heavily involved,” Navarro said.

The White House adviser also claimed that the issue had since been resolved and attributed some of the shift in India’s Russian oil trade to an opinion article he recently wrote in the Financial Times.

Trump and Modi will resolve issue, Navarro says

Navarro said the relationship between Trump and Modi would help address the tariff-related issue.

“The president and your prime minister have a very good working relationship. They are going to work that out amongst themselves,” he said, adding that it was not his place to intervene.

His comments come amid US concerns over countries purchasing Russian oil and proposed measures aimed at imposing additional tariffs on major buyers.

The US Senate has approved a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that could allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil or natural gas, including India and China.

The legislation was passed by an 86-11 vote and will now move to the US House of Representatives, which is scheduled to reconvene on August 31.

The bill is named in honour of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a strong supporter of Ukraine who died on July 11. Graham had pushed for tougher sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.

India and China among major Russian energy buyers

The legislation gives the US president the power to impose tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas.

India and China are among those countries, along with Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia.

The bill also contains an exception for countries importing less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and taking steps to reduce their dependence on Russian supplies.

What does the Russia sanctions bill contain?

Apart from the proposed tariffs, the legislation includes sanctions targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior Russian political and military officials, financial institutions and energy projects.

The bill would also expand US sanctions to older and reflagged oil tankers allegedly used by Moscow to bypass existing restrictions on Russian oil and energy revenues.

At the same time, the White House would have the option to waive sanctions or restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that doing so is in the national interest.

Bill also extends Iran sanctions law

The legislation also contains a provision related to Iran. It would extend the expiration date of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 until 2031.

The law penalises companies that invest in Iran’s energy sector.

The bill’s passage in the Senate marks the next step in the US legislative process, but it still needs approval from the House of Representatives before it can move forward.

Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the son of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and a senior Awami League leader, has claimed that Bangladesh is moving towards becoming “another Pakistan” and warned that the country’s current situation poses security concerns for India and the wider region.

Speaking virtually from Maryland, United States, during an event at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in New Delhi on Wednesday, Joy alleged that Bangladesh has descended into a “failed state” following recent political developments.

Joy alleges rise in extremist activity

Joy claimed that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is operating with “an open hand” in Bangladesh. He further alleged that hundreds of convicted terrorists who had been imprisoned during the Awami League’s tenure have since been released.

According to Joy, banned organisations such as Hizb ut-Tahrir are now holding public marches, while individuals linked to al-Qaeda have addressed public gatherings.

He argued that these developments should be a major concern for India, saying Bangladesh has effectively become “another Pakistan” on India’s eastern border. Joy also warned that the country could emerge as a future hub for global terrorism if the situation remains unchecked.

He appealed to Indian media organisations to continue highlighting developments in Bangladesh rather than treating them as isolated news events.

Political developments after Bangladesh elections

Joy’s remarks came around six months after Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections, in which the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, secured a majority and formed the government following the end of Muhammad Yunus’s interim administration.

He argued that the electoral process could not be considered fully representative because the Awami League had been barred from political activity and prevented from contesting the polls during the caretaker administration.

Joy questions protest death figures

Joy also questioned the reported death toll from the July-August 2024 protests that resulted in Sheikh Hasina’s removal from office.

He pointed to differences between the United Nations’ estimate of around 1,400 deaths and the Bangladeshi government’s figure of about 800, claiming that repeated requests by Awami League lawyers seeking details behind the higher estimate had not received a response.

He also criticised an “Indemnity Bill”, which he said was introduced during the Yunus administration and later ratified by the BNP government. According to Joy, the law grants immunity to protesters, including in cases involving the deaths of police personnel, civilians and Awami League supporters.

Allegations over arrests, media freedom and economy

Joy alleged that thousands of Awami League leaders and supporters have remained in detention without trial or bail for extended periods, with some allegedly dying in custody. He also claimed that party workers continue to face targeted attacks without police intervention.

He further alleged that journalists, editors and media owners considered sympathetic to the Awami League have remained imprisoned for more than two years. Joy also claimed that intelligence officials attempted to discourage Indian media organisations from covering Wednesday’s event.

On the economic front, he warned that Bangladesh faces the risk of severe economic deterioration due to what he described as continued mismanagement and predicted that future elections would remain tilted in favour of the ruling party.

The statements made by Joy reflect the Awami League’s position on developments following Sheikh Hasina’s removal from office in August 2024 and have not been independently verified.

At the time of his remarks, the BNP-led government, Muhammad Yunus’s former interim administration and Bangladeshi authorities had not publicly responded to the specific allegations. They have, however, disputed the Awami League’s broader assessment of Bangladesh’s political situation.