US H-1B visa fee hike shows govt 'failure' says Owaisi

Hyderabad, Sep 20 (PTI) AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday lashed out at the Centre over the steep hike in US H1B visa fee, saying it is a "failure" of the union government that if Washington did not see India as an ally despite New Delhi being considered a strategic partner.

In a post on X, Owaisi said Donald Trump has effectively ended the H-1B visa system with his decision to increase the fee for such visas.

"My complaint is not against Trump, he did what he wanted. My quarrel is with this government: what did you achieve with Howdy Modi and Namaste Trump (events)?" he asked.

Mocking Modi government's outreach to the US, he said birthday wishes cannot be counted as foreign policy successes.

He said the "ending" of H1B visas was aimed directly at Indians.

"That the US is putting its relationship with India at risk is proof that it does not care about our strategic value. We are a strategic partner of the US, and if they don’t see us as allies, then it is a failure of this government." The hike in H-1B visa fee should be seen along with other things that the US has done to India recently, including imposition of enormous tariffs, the Pakistan-US trade agreement, the Pakistan-Saudi agreement which could not have happened without US’s blessings, he added.

Noting that India has entered into dedollarisation agreements with over 18 nations, including Qatar, and trade payment settlements are happening in rupees with these countries, he said we must expand this method to trade with all major trading partners.

"We must not cede an inch to Trump’s blackmail," Owaisi said.

"But the government must introspect as to why India is facing such difficulties in foreign policy and national security. Is it because you have reduced these issues to gimmicks? After all, it’s not Modi who suffers, but common Indians," he said.

Pointing out that 71-72 per cent of all H-1B visas go to Indians, the AIMIM leader said within India, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh dominate the H-1B ecosystem.

The Hyderabad MP also pointed out that Trump's decision would an adverse impact on remittances from US to India.

In a development that could affect Indian professionals in the US, President Trump has signed a proclamation raising the H-1B visa fee to USD 100,000 annually, a move described by American lawmakers and community leaders as “reckless” and “unfortunate.” Trump on Friday signed the proclamation Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers, saying abuse of the H-1B visa programme posed a “national security threat.” PTI SJR SJR ROH