Shashi Tharoor: H-1B Visa Fee hike And Tariffs Hurt India, But India-US Partnership Will Endure

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has described the US decision to raise H-1B visa fees and impose fresh tariffs on Indian goods as a “sharp setback” for India, particularly in terms of jobs and trade. While acknowledging that these measures are both costly and “unfair,” he argued that the situation does not mark a breakdown in bilateral ties.

Tharoor said the move would hurt India’s IT sector and affect many professionals working in the US but insisted that deep-rooted cooperation in areas like defence, technology, artificial intelligence, and space will prevent lasting damage. Highlighting the presence of over five million Indian-origin people in the US, including students and CEOs in

Silicon Valley, he noted that people-to-people ties remain a strong foundation.

Despite tensions, Tharoor maintained that both nations have too many shared interests to let disputes derail the relationship. India and the US continue to engage at the diplomatic level, with recent meetings between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirming the commitment to dialogue and progress in priority sectors.

The latest US policy changes, which include a 50% tariff hike on Indian imports and raising the H-1B visa application fee to $100,000, had caused temporary panic among visa holders. However, Tharoor expressed confidence that the “larger picture” of India-US ties would ultimately bring relations back to balance.