In a sharp critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader and Lok Sabha Opposition chief Rahul Gandhi on Saturday condemned the United States’ recent decision to hike H-1B visa fees to an unprecedented $100,000 per year, a move set to hit Indian tech professionals hardest.
“I repeat, India has a weak PM,” Gandhi wrote on X, sharing news of the policy shift.
I repeat, India has a weak PM. https://t.co/N0EuIxQ1XG pic.twitter.com/AEu6QzPfYH
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 20, 2025
The announcement came after US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Friday, raising the annual fee for H-1B visas to a staggering $100,000, the latest measure in the Trump administration’s push to curb immigration. India, which accounts for a dominant 71% of H-1B visa holders, is expected to bear the brunt of the policy.
An analysis by Hindustan Times suggests that the fee hike could effectively dismantle the H-1B program. The new $100,000 charge surpasses the median annual salary of a fresh H-1B worker and exceeds 80% of the average earnings of all H-1B visa holders, making the visa virtually unattainable for most.
Congress leaders unite in criticism
Rahul Gandhi’s condemnation was echoed by other senior Congress leaders, who criticised Modi for what they see as a lack of decisive response.
“With the recent H-1B visa decision, the US has targeted the future of India’s brightest minds,” tweeted Gaurav Gogoi, Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha. “I still remember the boldness of former PM Manmohan Singh when one IFS lady diplomat was insulted in the US. Now, PM Modi’s preference for strategic silence and loud optics has become a liability for India’s national interest.”
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also took aim at the Modi government, framing the policy as an unwelcome “return gift” following Modi’s birthday call with President Trump. “Indians are often pained by the return gifts they receive after a birthday call. Birthday return gifts from your ‘Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar’ government! $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas hits Indian tech workers the hardest, 70% of H-1B visa holders are Indians,” Kharge wrote.
Congress leader Pawan Khera joined the chorus, pointing to past warnings from Rahul Gandhi. “Eight years later, Rahul Gandhi is vindicated yet again,” he wrote on X, referencing a 2017 post by Gandhi on H-1B visas. “He called it out back in 2017, and nothing has changed. India is still stuck with a weak Prime Minister.”
With the new fee effectively pricing out the majority of Indian tech talent, the H-1B program, once a gateway for skilled professionals seeking opportunities in the US, faces an uncertain future. The political fallout in India underscores growing concerns about how international policy decisions can ripple back and directly affect the country’s workforce.
