India Fires Back at U.S. Visa Fee Surge

(MENAFN) Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is calling on skilled Indian professionals abroad to return to the country and aid its economic growth through innovation and design. On Saturday, Goyal emphasized that certain nations are "afraid" of India’s growing talent pool.

Although he did not specifically name the United States, the remarks are widely interpreted as a response to President Donald Trump’s recent executive order, which imposes a hefty $100,000 annual fee for H-1B visa applicants—targeting skilled foreign workers. This move affects a visa category that predominantly benefits Indian professionals, who account for over 70% of the H-1B recipients.

“They want to increase trade with India,” Goyal stated. “They want to improve relations. They are also a little afraid of our talent. We have no objection to that either.”

According to the Global Trade Research Initiative, the impact of the visa fee will likely backfire on the US rather than India. Indian business leaders share similar concerns.

Former Infosys CFO T.V. Mohandas Pai warned in an interview with the Financial Express that the elevated fee will discourage new applications. “New applications will come down,” Pai explained. “Nobody’s going to pay $100,000.” He also suggested that the trend could lead to an increase in outsourcing to India.

India’s economic growth remains robust, with the country’s GDP expanding by 7.8% in the quarter ending in June, surpassing analysts’ projections. Goyal expressed optimism, predicting this growth trend will persist through 2047, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s long-term vision to transform India into a developed nation by that year.

Meanwhile, US Trade Representative for South Asia Brendan Lynch was in New Delhi last week for trade discussions—the first meeting since Trump’s 50% tariff on most Indian imports went into effect.

This week, Goyal is set to travel to Washington for further negotiations. Trade talks between the two countries had stalled in August after the US demanded India open its agriculture and dairy sectors.

In a statement on Sunday, Goyal reiterated India’s stance on agriculture, calling it the "soul of Indian civilization." He added, “Our farmers’ welfare will be primary to our trade negotiations... we will never compromise with the interests of our farmers.”

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