Cracks in US ties spark worries on diaspora welfare

The Centre is increasingly concerned about the potential impact of worsening relations with the US on the large Indian diaspora, particularly in the tech sector, people aware of the discussions said.

- Dhirendra Kumar

The Centre is increasingly concerned about the potential impact of worsening relations with the US on the large Indian diaspora, particularly in the tech sector, people aware of the discussions said. Senior officials told a parliamentary panel that they were concerned about the fallout on Indian professionals and students in the US including job losses and tighter immigration policies. This comes at a time when India and the US have differed over market access for various American goods, and the US has objected to India's purchase of Russian oil.

The concerns were flagged by the government, represented by senior officials such as foreign secretary Vikram Misri, commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal, and India's chief negotiator for the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the US Rajesh Agarwal, during a recent meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs. The officials told the committee, chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, that the trade logjam may impact Indian professionals working in the US, said one of the three people cited above.