NEW DELHI: India emphasized the mutual advantages of the H-1B visa program, describing it as a cornerstone of the robust economic and technological partnership between India and the United States. The statement, made on Friday (Jan 3), follows recent endorsements of the visa program by US President-elect Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.
The H-1B program, which enables US companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers, is particularly important to India, which accounts for 78% of the 265,777 visas issued in the fiscal year ending September 2023.
“Our countries have a strong and growing economic and technological partnership, and within this ambit, mobility of skilled professionals is an important component,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, during a press briefing.
Jaiswal stressed that the expertise of Indian professionals strengthens US-India ties by providing technical value and competitive advantages to both nations.
The debate over H-1B visas gained renewed attention last month after Trump expressed strong support for the program, despite resistance from some of his political base. Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, also championed the initiative, declaring he would “go to war” to defend it.
India welcomed the support, reiterating its commitment to deepening bilateral ties under Trump’s incoming administration. Jaiswal pointed to recent visits by India’s foreign minister and foreign secretary to the United States as efforts to reinforce collaboration during the transition.
As India continues to advocate for the H-1B program, the country remains focused on leveraging this skilled migration framework to enhance shared economic growth and technological innovation.