New Delhi: A parliamentary panel has expressed concern over the recent adversarial decisions taken by the United States against India and questioned the lack of response from the Indian-American community.
During a meeting with a visiting delegation of US lawmakers, the panel comprising members from both ruling and opposition parties raised issues such as the steep hike in H-1B visa fees, tariffs on Indian goods, and sanctions related to Iran’s Chabahar Port project.
Standing Committee on External Affairs chairman Shashi Tharoor said the panel was surprised by the absence of lobbying or public statements from the Indian diaspora on these matters. “Not one phone call has reportedly been made by any Indian-American voter to urge a policy change,” Tharoor noted, adding that the community must advocate for India’s interests if they value ties with their motherland.
The US delegation, led by Indian-origin lawmaker Ami Bera, acknowledged the importance of the bilateral partnership and praised India’s economic resilience. Several members criticised the recent policy decisions of the US administration, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening India-US relations despite current tensions.
On the issue of H-1B visas, Tharoor argued that the $100,000 fee hike was politically motivated, aimed at appeasing anti-immigration factions in the US ahead of elections. He warned that the measure could hurt the American economy by forcing companies to outsource jobs to India or other regions rather than hire Indian professionals on US soil.
He further cautioned that the new fee structure could make many IT contracts financially unviable for Indian companies, potentially shifting more work offshore and limiting the flow of skilled professionals to the US.
