'Ground all Boeing planes...': CIO calls for India's retaliation after Trump tariff threat

Complete Circle CIO Gurmeet Chadha on Monday called for a direct economic retaliation against the United States after President Donald Trump renewed threats of steep tariffs on India over its Russian oil trade. 

"India shud just ground all Boeing planes for security concerns…Also raise tariffs on Big tech.. Take them head on.. This is otherwise never ending.. Who is US to decide from where we will buy our energy from??" Chadha wrote on X.

Chadha's now-deleted post came shortly after Trump, in a post on Truth Social, warned of new tariffs on India over its continued purchase and resale of Russian crude oil. He accused India of profiting off the Ukraine conflict and announced plans to impose additional tariffs.

"India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits... I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA," Trump wrote.

Trump had earlier announced a 25% tariff on Indian imports starting August 1, along with an additional unspecified “penalty” linked to India’s continued purchases of Russian crude and military hardware. The effective date has since been pushed to August 7.

India has defended its procurement strategy. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India determines its energy sources “based on the price at which oil is available in the international market and depending on the global situation at that time.”

Russia, which supplied just 2.5% of India's crude imports before the Ukraine war, has since become India’s top supplier. According to the International Energy Agency, Russian crude deliveries to India averaged 1.8 million barrels per day in 2023, accounting for 39% of total intake. In 2024, 70% of Russia’s crude exports went to India.

Chadha's post also drew support from his colleague Aditya Kondawar, VP at Complete Circle. "Outsourcing companies should also shut off US processes and investment bank back offices too. Just like Microsoft did with Nayara. Time to give a reply to this Bully," Kondawar posted.