NEW DELHI: The Indian information technology sector is betting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit this week to facilitate more business opportunities and hope that H1-B visa will be relaxed for more categories of professionals.
However, industry body Nasscom was guarded in its comments. “We have no intimation of the agenda, so I cannot comment on that… all that I can wish is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is meeting President Donald Trump for first time and I hope they develop a great relationship,” said Raman Roy, president, Nasscom.
On Tuesday, Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia had said, “I cannot say what would be the issues that would come up in the discussion… But in the event the issue (H1B) comes up, it would certainly be taken up.”
The IT sector has been the worst-hit with receding job opportunities, due to inward-looking policies of the US and other countries, as they face global economic pressures.
Data collated by Express in April this year from the US Department of State (Bureau of Consular Affairs) shows that India tops the globe in contribution of skilled workforce to the US through H1-B visas.
It has grown steadily under this category from 31,684 in 1997 to 1,26,692 in 2016.
In comparison, in the same period, China H1-B visa grew from 3,206 in 1997 to 21,657 in 2016.