US brushes aside India’s repeated pleas on H-1B Visa, despite Modi-Trump bonhomie, restricts charter flights

The United States brushed aside New Delhi’s repeated pleas and went ahead to suspend issuing of the H-1B and other work visas for the rest of the year – notwithstanding the bonhomie between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Trump Administration’s decision will hit hard both the Indian Information Technology (IT) companies and the professionals seeking to move to the US on H-1B visas. The US also imposed restrictions on charter flights from India, accusing New Delhi of engaging in “discriminatory and restrictive practices”.

The twin moves came just weeks after the US launched an investigation into the new two per cent tax India recently imposed on all foreign billings for digital services provided in the country.