Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take up the issue of H-1B visas for skilled workers when he meets US President Donald Trump next week in Washington, a senior government official said on Tuesday.
“The H-1B visa issue will be one of the issues on the table during the PM’s visit,” Trade Secretary Rita Teaotia told.
Mr Trump has ordered a review of the US visa programme for bringing high-skilled foreign workers into the United States, putting technology firms and the outsourcing companies that serve them on notice of possible changes ahead.
The review threatens Indian IT services firm such as Infosys Ltd and Tata Consultancy Services which advise large companies on tech issues and carry out a range of tasks for them, relying heavily on the H-1B visa programme.
PM Modi will meet Mr Trump in Washington on Monday. The first meeting between them is expected to lay the ground for a further expansion in ties, which grew rapidly under former US President Barack Obama.
However, Trump’s focus on building ties with China, coupled with his protectionist trade policies and his characterisation of India as an unscrupulous negotiator in the Paris climate change agreement have raised objections in Delhi.
