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The Indian National Congress and opposition parties have criticised the Union government over deteriorating US-India relations following President Donald Trump's decision to tighten H-1B visa regulations and impose a $100,000 annual fee on companies for each of the foreign workers they hire.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to social media on Saturday, September 20, sharing an article about the H-1B visa restrictions and commenting, "I repeat, India has a weak PM." Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav echoed similar sentiments, describing India's foreign policy as weak.
Congress MP Manoj Kumar said, “This is not new. They have already imposed tariffs. Now, Trump is doing this. The whole of India knows what Trump is doing, what his desires are, and what actions he is taking.
The Opposition's criticism comes as the new visa policies threaten to impact thousands of Indian technology professionals and companies that rely heavily on H-1B visas to deploy skilled workers in the United States.
"On one hand, you say our Prime Minister is great and a good friend of Trump, and on the other hand, you're imposing such hefty fees on H-1B visas. Why is Trump doing this? He thinks he is a king, and by doing this, he will win. But in India, we will stand our ground. Whatever policies he is bringing forward, he is digging his own well,” Manoj Kumar said.
Congress leader Surendra Rajput added, “The US is continuously behaving like an enemy while claiming PM Modi is their friend. Trump is hurting 140 crore Indians.
Khanderao Kand of the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies’ (FIIDS) termed the decision as "unfortunate" and one with “negative" impact on the US tech industry.
Former advisor to president Joe Biden, Ajay Bhutoria said that the fee hike will have a negative impact on the tech sector.
“The H-1B programme, a lifeline for innovation that has attracted top talent from around the world, faces unprecedented barriers with this massive jump from the current $2,000-$5000 total fee. This will likely crush small businesses and startups,” Ajay said.
Companies like Microsoft and JP Morgan have already issued directives for their employees. Microsoft has asked H-1B and H-4 visa holders, who are outside the United States currently, to return to the US before the September 21 deadline. JP Morgan has asked the H-1B visa holders to avoid international travel until further guidance.
Signing the proclamation on Friday, September 19, at the White House, President Trump said the “incentive is to hire American workers.”
“We need workers. We need great workers, and this pretty much ensures that,” he added.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also defended the move, saying the policy would discourage companies from hiring foreign workers.
The H-1B visa programme, capped at 85,000 new visas annually, allowed US companies to hire skilled foreign workers in fields like technology and engineering. The latest move is expected to impact major American tech companies as well.
(With IANS inputs)