US President Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro has renewed his criticism of India, this time questioning why American users are ‘paying’ for AI services in India when platforms such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT operate from within the United States.
Speaking in an interview with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon on “Real America Voice”, Navarro argued that AI platforms were being built and powered in the US but servicing users abroad, including in India, raising what he described as a trade-related concern.
“Why are Americans paying for AI in India? ChatGPT is operating on US soil, using American electricity and servicing large users of ChatGPT, for example, in India and China and elsewhere around the world. So, that's another issue that's got to be dealt with,” Navarro said.
His remarks come amid ongoing trade tensions between Washington and New Delhi, following multiple rounds of negotiations on a bilateral trade deal and the imposition of 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports by Trump, citing India’s continued purchase of Russian oil.
Navarro also flagged concerns over foreign ownership of US farmland, alleging that overseas groups were paying up to ten times the actual value of agricultural land, a move he warned could drive up food prices domestically.
This is not the first time the White House official has targeted India. He has repeatedly criticised New Delhi for importing Russian crude, accusing it of helping to finance Russia’s “war machine” in Ukraine. He has also frequently referred to India as the “Maharaja of tariffs”.
Earlier, defending the steep tariffs imposed on Indian goods, Navarro had said the move was rooted in national security concerns. “It's important to understand that the rationale for the Indian tariffs are very different from the reciprocal tariffs. This was a pure national security issue associated with India's abject refusal to stop buying Russian oil,” he said, while again using the “Maharaja of tariffs” phrase.
Navarro had also claimed that “Brahmins” were profiting at the expense of the Indian public, remarks that drew a sharp response from New Delhi.
India’s ministry of external affairs rejected the allegations. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said last year, “We have seen some inaccurate statements made by him. We reject them.”
India has consistently maintained that its energy purchases are guided by market conditions and strategic considerations.
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