- US suspended some companies from the PERM programme; India says H-1B validity is unaffected
- Green card process may be affected for eligible employees of the suspended companies
- Jaiswal called US Vice President JD Vance's remarks on non-American workers unwarranted
- India and Liberia, co-chairs of GoF on S4, condemned attacks on ships and seafarers
- First GoF on S4 meeting in New York drew 25 countries
India has said the US suspension of some companies from the PERM programme does not by itself affect existing H-1B visas. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made the remarks at a media briefing in New Delhi.
Talent mobility a two-way gain
Jaiswal said talent mobility adds value to both the Indian and US economies. He said it gives Indians opportunities and gives US companies access to skilled talent.
He said such mobility supports innovation, research, productivity and competitiveness, and helps create jobs. He added that it also builds shareholder wealth in the US and is of major mutual benefit.
On the PERM move, he said the suspension could affect the permanent residency or green card process for eligible employees of the affected companies.
Response to Vance remarks
Jaiswal responded to comments by US Vice President JD Vance on non-American workers. He said such descriptions are unwarranted and ignore that Indian professionals in the US are highly educated.
He pointed out that generations of immigration have shaped US history. He also said terms carrying painful historical and colonial connotations are deeply offensive.
Shipping security and UN observer group
India and Liberia, as co-chairs of the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers (GoF on S4), have strongly condemned attacks on commercial ships and seafarers in the Gulf and Black Sea regions.
The group’s first meeting took place in New York. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and the Liberian Foreign Minister led it, and 25 countries joined. The aim is to put seafarer and shipping safety at the centre of global discussion and to keep commercial shipping from being disrupted.
Asked about the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, Jaiswal said India has consistently held that it has outlived its relevance since the Simla Agreement between the two countries.
