Countries creating roadblocks in flow of talents across borders will be ‘net losers’: Jaishankar on issues linked to immigration, H-1B visas

Countries that create too many hurdles in the cross-border flow of professionals will be “net losers” and India needs to convince other countries that talent exploitation is for mutual benefit, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.

His comments, made during an interactive session at a conclave on mobility, came against the backdrop of concerns about the US decision to impose new fees on H-1B visas in line with the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.

“If they put too many barriers to the flow of talent, there will be net losers. You will need more talent, especially if you enter the era of advanced manufacturing,” Mr. Jaishankar said.

He was responding to a question about larger immigration-related issues, including concerns about the H-1B visa program.

Without naming any country, Jaishankar said India must convince other countries that “exploitation of capabilities across borders is in our common interest”.

“Often people who are at the forefront of entrepreneurship and technology are actually advocates for mobility. They’re the ones who have a certain political base or a constituency to appeal to, who might be against it, and they’re probably going to get to a lifestyle eventually,” he said.

Mr. Jaishankar also attributed the resistance to talent mobility in some countries to efforts by some companies to shift their manufacturing base from China.

Under the H-1B visa program, companies hire foreign workers with special skills to work in the United States for an initial three years, which can be extended for another three years.

Indians accounted for an estimated 71% of all approved H-1B applications in recent years, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

“If there is pressure on employment in many developed countries, the pressure is less because people are entering those sectors. It’s more because they let production stall and you know where,” Jaishankar said.

“If it becomes difficult for people to travel, business won’t stop. If people don’t travel, business will travel,” he added.

Mr. Jaishankar also spoke extensively about the importance of legal mobility. “I think in a globalized world, when we talk about our external interaction, especially our economic interaction, we often tend to focus on trade. There’s nothing wrong with that anymore,” he said.

“But we often neglect work and work-related mobility. Just to give you an idea of ​​what we don’t pay enough attention to. Last year, remittances to India were $135 billion. That’s roughly double our exports to the United States,” he said.

“Now only foreign currencies remain. Because think about the people abroad, their own livelihoods, the assets they create there,” he said.

Mr. Jaishankar also warned against illegal mobility and outlined its possible downfalls. “If you look at smuggling itself, all the crimes involved, and a lot of times it drives people towards various kinds of agendas, political agendas, separatist agendas, they all participate in the illegal mobility side of it,” he said.

Mr. Jaishankar also highlighted how the government is trying to solve the problems of Indians living abroad.

“In the last three years, we have handled 1,38,000 complaints using the Madad portal in the Gulf alone,” he said.

EAM said India is also providing assistance to Indians and the Indian diaspora under the Indian Community Welfare Fund. “238 thousand people have benefited from this Social Assistance Fund in the last 3 years. These are people who may have received tickets in the country and who have cases abroad. In some cases, they may have passed away and therefore their last rights may have been given.”

Mr. Jaishankar also emphasized the importance of India’s linked mobility agreements with many countries.

“Obviously today, intergovernmental agreements on mobility are a very important part of our diplomacy. We have 21 such agreements, and in addition some of the free trade agreements we have made also have mobility provisions,” he said.

“And we certainly see that in many relationships as something that adds a new dimension to the relationship,” he added.

It was published – 04 December 2025 06:35 IST