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Goyal, who is set to visit the US tomorrow to advance trade talks, said some countries are afraid of India’s talent, a nod towards a recent fee hike for H-1B visa holders.
Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. (Piyush Goyal Office)
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal reacted to US President Donald Trump’s executive order imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, which has rattled the tech sector, particularly Indian professionals in the high-skilled American workforce.
Goyal, who is set to visit the United States on September 22 to advance talks on a bilateral trade agreement between India and the US, said some countries are afraid of India’s talent and understand the strength of the country.
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“The world understands the capabilities of India. Several countries want to do free trade agreements with us. They want to increase trade and improve ties with India. Some are even afraid of our talent. We have no objection to that either,” he said in a video clip from a speech shared on his X handle.
Goyal called on Indian talent to come to the nation and innovate and design here to improve the economy. “We are winners, come what may,” he asserted, adding that the government is in “mission mode” to ease doing business in India, promote manufacturing, and support international trade.
“The growth achieved was 7.8% in the first quarter. It beat all economists’ expectations, and we will continue to beat them right up to 2047,” the minister further underlined.
US H-1B Visa Fee Hike
The H-1B visa programme allows US companies to hire foreign workers in specialised fields where domestic talent is limited. Under the new mandate, employers will now have to pay $100,000 for each H-1B worker, a move that industry leaders warn could disrupt the technology sector, which relies heavily on skilled talent from India, China, South Korea and other countries.
India expressed concern over Trump’s order on H-1B visas, warning that the move could have humanitarian consequences by disrupting families. “killed talent mobility and exchanges have contributed enormously to technology development, innovation, economic growth, competitiveness and wealth creation in the United States and India,” said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
“This measure is likely to have humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families. Government hopes that these disruptions can be addressed suitably by the US authorities,” it said.
This comes amid strained ties between India and the United States in the backdrop of Washington imposing a 50% duty on Indian goods, a combination of a 25% base tariff and an additional 25% levy — citing India’s continued purchase of Russian oil. However, Trump recently struck a friendly tone, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “friend.”
About the Author
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
September 21, 2025, 16:15 IST
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