US turning screws on India: Manish Tewari on H-1B visa fee hike

New Delhi, Sep 20 (IANS) Senior Congress leaders on Saturday came down heavily on the Centre over what they termed a failure of foreign policy after the United States announced a steep hike in H-1B visa fees to $100,000 per year, a move seen as a major setback for Indian tech professionals working in America. Congress MP Manish Tewari urged the government to take "appropriate action" and said that the "US seems to be turning the screws on India." 

The development followed US President Donald Trump's proclamation, significantly curtailing the H-1B visa programme in a bid to prevent its overuse and to promote the hiring of domestic workers.

Signing the order at the White House on Friday, President Trump said the "incentive is to hire American workers... We need workers. We need great workers, and this pretty much ensures that."

Reacting strongly, Congress accused the government of mishandling the matter.

Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera, speaking to IANS, said, "$100,000 will have to be given by our children or the companies that they are working for. This is just another big example of how we have failed."

"In July 2017, during Trump's first term, Rahul Gandhi had first warned the Prime Minister that he should look into this matter. Today, after 8 years, the same thing has been proved. PM Modi has emerged as a very weak Prime Minister," Khera said.

Congress MP Manish Tewari also urged the government to take "appropriate action" in response to what he described as a series of steps taken by the US against India in recent months.

Speaking to IANS, Tewari said, "The US seems to be turning the screws on India. What is happening since May 2025 -- premature announcement of the ceasefire post India's kinetic action in response to the terror outrage perpetrated by Pakistan in Pahalgam on April 22; then Asim Munir's dinner at the White House; the Saudi Arabia-Pakistan Defence pact, which obviously would not have happened without US approval, and now, the H-1B visa."

"This will definitely put a strain on the Indo-US relationship and on the larger security architecture of the Asian continent. The Indian government should take this very seriously and should accordingly act on it," he added.

Chhattisgarh Congress chief Deepak Baij also slammed the Centre and questioned the Prime Minister's much-talked-about ties with the US President.

Speaking to IANS, Baij said, "What is this friendship between PM Modi and Trump that just two days ago, the US President wished the Prime Minister on his birthday and now, increases the H-1B visa fee. Earlier, Trump had also increased the tariffs. Because of all this, the common people have to face the consequences. What kind of friendship is this? PM Modi should make it clear."

--IANS

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