Addressing India's concern with regard to Trump administration’s move to curb H-1B visas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the United States (US) to develop a balanced and farsighted outlook towards movement of skilled professionals. Modi’s comments reflected anxiety that India’s $150 billion IT services industry would suffer if the US curbs the H-1B visas, it relies on to send its software experts to the United States on project work.
In a meeting with a 26-member bipartisan delegation of the US Congress, Modi shared his view on areas where both countries can work even more closely, including in facilitating greater people-to-people linkages that have over the years helped contribute to each other's prosperity. In this context, the Prime Minister referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society.
Soon after taking over last month, Trump had decided to overhaul the work visa programmes such as H-1B and L1, a move that will adversely hit the lifeline of Indian tech firms and professionals in the US. At present, 65,000 H1B visas are issued by the US every year and Indians account for a major chunk in it.