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India has firmly rejected Navarro’s remarks
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The Ministry of External Affairs has called his statements inaccurate and reiterated that India’s energy purchases are based on market realities and long-term strategic interests, not political alignment
US President Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro has once again taken aim at India, this time raising questions about the global use of artificial intelligence platforms developed in the United States. In a recent interview on Real America Voice with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, Navarro asked why American users were, in his words, “paying” for AI services used in countries such as India when the technology is built and operated on US soil.
Referring specifically to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Navarro said the platform runs using American infrastructure and electricity but serves large numbers of users overseas, including in India and China. He suggested this arrangement should be seen as a trade-related issue that needs attention, arguing that the economic benefits of such services should primarily remain within the United States.
His comments come at a sensitive time in US–India relations. Washington and New Delhi have been engaged in several rounds of talks on a possible bilateral trade agreement, even as tensions have risen due to steep tariffs. The Trump administration has imposed tariffs of up to 50 per cent on certain Indian imports, citing concerns over India’s continued purchase of Russian oil.
Navarro has been a vocal critic of India on this issue, repeatedly accusing New Delhi of indirectly supporting Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine through its energy imports. He has also frequently described India as the “Maharaja of tariffs”, claiming that India maintains high import duties that disadvantage American businesses. According to Navarro, the tariffs imposed on Indian goods were driven by national security concerns rather than standard trade disputes.
In addition, he raised alarms about foreign ownership of US farmland, alleging that overseas buyers were paying inflated prices, which he warned could push up food costs for American consumers.
