Foreign Secretary to discuss on H-1B visa, security of Indians during us trip

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will visit the US from Tuesday during which key bilateral issues including India's concerns over a possible clamp down on H-1B visas and safety of Indians are expected to be discussed.

According to officials in New Delhi, Dr Jaishankar will also be holding talks on regional and international issues of mutual interest with senior members of the Donald Trump administration during his four-day visit.

Maintaining that the government was engaged with the Trump administration as well as members of the US Congress on concerns regarding the H-1B visa issue, they said India's view that Indian IT companies were contributing to the American economy by increasing the competitiveness of their firms will be conveyed by the foreign secretary during his meetings.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year.

President Donald Trump's strong immigration rhetoric, along with his 'America First' policy, has discouraged prospective students to abandon their plans to study in the US.

During the visit, which will be taking place barely days after killing of an Indian engineer in a crowded is bar in Kansas City in an apparent hate crime incident, the issue of safety of Indian nationals is also expected to figure during the discussions between the two sides.