PM Modi raises the issue of H-1B visas during the first-ever meeting with Joe Biden
3 min read
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his very first-ever meeting with President Joe Biden raised various issues involving the Indian community in America, including access for Indian professionals in the US and talking about the H-1B visas, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has said.
PM Modi described as “extraordinary” his first bilateral meeting in the Oval Office with US President Joe Biden who said the Indo-US relationship is destined to be “stronger, closer and tighter.
The prime minister and his partners – Scott Morrison of Australia and Japan’s Yoshihide Suga. Also attended the meeting of Quad leaders hosted by US President Biden in the US capital on Friday.
He (Modi) talked about the issue of getting access for Indian professionals to the United States. In that context he referenced H-1B visas, Shringla told reporters at a news meeting on Friday.
The most sought-after H-1B visas is a non-immigrant visa that allows US organizations to employ foreign workers. In specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology organizations rely upon it to hire a huge number of employees every year from nations like India and China.
Modi raises the issue of H-1B visas with US President
He also talked about the way that numerous Indian professionals who work here add to Social Security. The return of those commitments in the United States is something that affects the number of Indian workers, Shringla said.
A reality sheet gave by the White House later said that the United States was proud to have given a record 62,000 visas to Indian students so far in 2021. The almost 200,000 Indian students in the United States contribute USD 7.7 billion every year to the US economy.
Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Fulbright Program around the world. The program has been bringing Americans and Indians closer together for 71 years since its launch in India.
In 2008, we invited India’s decision to mutually support these associations with the United States and renamed the program the Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship Program. More than 20,000 fellowships and grants have been awarded under this exchange program. And the United States looks forward to building on these successes, it said.
The Partnership 2020 program continues to foster higher education cooperation to promote economic growth and technological advances. In collaboration with the University of Nebraska at Omaha. This program funds 15 research partnerships among US and Indian universities in the fields of advanced engineering, artificial intelligence, public health, and energy, among others, the White House said.
As indicated by the White House, the upcoming launch of the US-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment public-private partnership. Between the Department of State, USAID, the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, and George Washington University will assist with catalyzing collaboration to advance women’s economic resilience and empowerment in India.
Issues about the H-1B visa & Foreign Secretary
The US-funded Nexus startup and innovation hub showcases the best of American and Indian entrepreneurial innovation and technology commercialization. Also, nexus serves as a central hub for entrepreneurs, innovators, faculty, industry players, and funding associations keen on promoting Indian new companies and the interested in promoting Indian startups and the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, it said.
Since 2016, Nexus’ 138 graduates have raised over USD 19 million in outside funding and shut more than 70 deals. With numerous prominent Indian and US organizations, it said.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration work closely with Indian partners in regions like sea and fisheries science, meteorology, and earth observation. Which helps us better understand environmental change and save lives through improved weather modeling and information sharing, White House said.
[Biden wants to address delays in the Green Card processing system]
The US Department of Agriculture looks forward to cooperating with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. On environmental change issues related to agriculture through strategic research on crops, livestock, and fisheries, it said.
Moreover, USAID looks forward to working with the Indian government on setting up the US-India Gandhi-King Development Foundation. To promote initiatives and exchanges that honor both visionary leaders, it added.
