Owaisi attacks PM, calls H-1B visa fee hike failure of Modi govt

Hyderabad: Hyderabad MP and AIMIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi has criticised the Narendra Modi government over the US administration's latest decision to hike H-1B annual fees through a new proclamation order, calling it a failure of India's foreign policy.

Describing President Donald Trump's move as effectively putting an "end" to the non-immigrant visa system that has benefited many from Telugu states, Owaisi said that the decision represents a diplomatic setback for India.

"Trump has essentially ended the H-1B visa system. Indians, and especially people from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, were its biggest beneficiaries," Owaisi said. "Birthday wishes are not foreign policy successes, and this ending of H-1B visas was meant to target Indians."

The AIMIM chief emphasised the strategic implications of the decision. "That the US is putting its relationship with India at risk is proof that it does not care about our strategic value. We are a strategic partner of the US, and if they don't see us as allies, then it is a failure of this government."

In a detailed social media post, Owaisi highlighted the significant impact on Telugu-speaking regions. He noted that 71-72 per cent of all H-1B visas go to Indians, with Telangana and Andhra Pradesh dominating the H1B ecosystem. The average annual salary for Indian H-1B holders is approximately $120,000, primarily in the tech industry, and these salaries serve as a crucial source of income for families back home, contributing significantly to India's $125 billion remittance inflow.

"Andhra Pradesh and Telangana account for 37 per cent of Indian NRI deposits. A major source of intergenerational mobility has been closed," Owaisi observed.

The Hyderabad MP directed sharp criticism at the Modi government's diplomatic initiatives, questioning their effectiveness. "My complaint is not against Trump he did what he wanted. My quarrel is with this government: what did you achieve with Howdy Modi and Namaste Trump? All those NRIs that you gathered in Madison Square Garden, what did that achieve? Birthday wishes are not foreign policy successes," he said.

Owaisi placed the H-1B decision within a broader pattern of US actions that he argued demonstrate India's weakening position. "We should see this along with other things that the US has done to India recently: the enormous tariffs, the Pakistan-US trade agreement, the Pakistan-Saudi agreement (which could not have happened without US blessings), and overall India's vulnerable position in the world. We are in a hostile neighborhood and increasingly isolated on the global stage," he observed.

Despite the criticism, Owaisi outlined potential paths forward for India's economic strategy. He noted that India has entered into de-dollarisation agreements with over 18 countries, including Qatar and many ASEAN nations, with trade payment settlements happening in rupees. "We must expand this to trade with all major trading partners. We must not cede an inch to Trump's blackmail," he stated.

Owaisi also said that his concerns stem from genuine worry rather than political opportunism. "I do not derive any pleasure from seeing this happen. This is not an opportunity for me to score brownie points. But the government must introspect as to why India is facing such difficulties in foreign policy and national security. Is it because you have reduced these issues to gimmicks?" Owaisi asked.

He added, "After all, it's not Modi who suffers, but common Indians. You have sacrificed our long-term gains for domestic posturing. 2014-2024 has been a lost decade.”