The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs convened on Tuesday. The meeting included the participation of a US congressional delegation currently visiting India. Discussions revolved around US tariffs on Indian products, the H-1B visa situation, and the apparent lack of vocal opposition from the Indian-American community regarding the Trump administration’s policies.
The US delegation comprises five Democratic Congress members. They acknowledged India’s economic strength but raised concerns about the US government’s increase in H-1B visa fees.
The issue of a 50% tariff on Indian goods, along with the situation concerning the Iranian port of Chabahar, was also raised during the meeting. Some US lawmakers criticized former President Trump for these decisions. Following the meeting, Shashi Tharoor, the committee chairman, noted that the committee debated why the Indian-American diaspora remained silent on these US actions affecting India.