India has emphasized the importance of the movement of skilled professionals between India and the US, stating that both countries benefit from it. This comes amid a heated debate over H-1B visas, with newly elected President Donald Trump and Elon Musk recently voicing their opinions.
In a recent post, Mr. Musk defended the H-1B visa program on social media: “The reason I am in America, along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong, is because of H1B .”
“I will wage war on this issue that you cannot possibly understand,” he added.
The debate has exposed deep divisions among Mr. Trump’s allies, with some supporting the H-1B visa program as essential for the tech industry while others see it as a threat to American jobs. Mr. Trump himself has expressed support for the program, despite previously signing an executive order limiting access to such visas.
Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal highlighted the strong economic and technological partnership between the two countries, noting that the mobility of skilled professionals is a crucial component. He emphasized that India-US economic ties benefit immensely from the technical expertise of these professionals, with both sides leveraging their strengths and competitive value.
“Our countries have a strong and growing economic and technological partnership and within this scope, the mobility of skilled professionals is an important component,” Mr Jaiswal told a press conference when asked about the H-1B visa talks in the US.
“India-US economic ties benefit greatly from the technical expertise of skilled professionals, with both sides leveraging their strengths and competitive value. We look forward to further deepening economic ties between India and the US to our mutual benefit,” he added.
The numbers speak for themselves: India received approximately 78% of the 265,777 H1B visas issued by the US in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023. This underlines the important role that Indian professionals play in the US technology industry.
Mr. Trump has expressed full support for the H1B program, despite opposition from some of his supporters. Mr Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has also vowed to defend the program and stated he is prepared to wage a “war” over it.
As the US and India look to strengthen their ties under Trump, Indian Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has already met with Trump’s transition team. The country is keen to deepen its economic ties with the US and recognizes the mutual benefits arising from their partnership.
This development is part of a broader trend of growing US-India cooperation, with bilateral trade increasing 7.65% to $129 billion in 2022-2023.
Ultimately, the movement of skilled professionals between India and the US is a crucial aspect of their economic and technological partnership. As both countries continue to navigate the complexities of this relationship, it is clear that mutual benefits and cooperation will remain a top priority.