NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
CasteFiles, an advocacy organization focused on issues affecting Indian Americans, has condemned recent remarks by Peter Navarro, a senior counselor on trade and manufacturing to President Donald Trump, for linking trade disputes with India to what he described as “Brahmin profiteering.”
In a statement, the group said Navarro’s comments were inaccurate and harmful, alleging that they perpetuate stereotypes against Indian Americans.
“Indian Americans are all too familiar with this. As documented in the NCRI report and demonstrated in the now-discredited Cisco case, Hindu American professionals—particularly those labeled Brahmin—have faced false accusations under weaponized DEI frameworks. Many in the community welcomed the administration’s decisive rejection of such divisive policies. Navarro’s remarks, however, suggest that advisors close to power continue to promote the same culture of prejudice,” the group said.
Richa Gautam, founding director of CasteFiles, added: “The claim that Brahmins control oil wealth or trade profiteering is absurd. Neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who rose from humble beginnings, nor India’s most prominent billionaires, Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, are Brahmins.”
Abhijit Bagal, the organization’s director of legal action, said Indian Americans migrate to the U.S. to participate in a culture of meritocracy, not to face “unwarranted slurs.”
Navarro, who served in the Trump administration from 2017 to 2021 and was brought back as a senior trade adviser earlier this year, made the reference while discussing India’s role in global trade. His comments drew criticism not only for invoking caste but also for appearing to contradict Trump’s recent executive order, issued on January 20, 2025, to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies across the federal government and private sector.
CasteFiles urged Navarro to retract his statement and issue an apology, warning that such rhetoric could strain U.S.–India relations and put Indian American professionals at risk.
As of press time, Navarro’s office had not issued a response.
