PM Modi presses US to have a balanced, farsighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals

Amid the ongoing visa ban and check on travel by Trump administration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pressed US to have a balanced and farsighted perspective on the movement of skilled professionals.

Modi made the comment while receiving a 26-member bi-partisan US Congressional delegation. Welcoming the Congresssional Representatives to India, Modi spoke of the visit as a good start to bilateral exchanges after the changes of power in the US administration and Congress.

Recalling his postiive conversation with President Donald Trump, Modi hoped for stronger ties between India and US. Sharing the mutual areas of talks and cooperation, PM Modi also shared his perspective on facilitating greater people-to-people linkages that have over the years helped contribute to each other's prosperity.

"In this context, the prime Minister referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society and urged developing a reflective, balanced and farsighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals," the statement said.

Soon after taking over last month, Trump had decided to overhaul the work visa programmes like the H-1B and L1, a move that will adversely hit the lifeline of Indian tech firms and professionals in US.

At present 65,000 H1-B visas are issued by US every year and Indian account for a major share in it.

With PTI Inputs