Economic Advisor Sees Opportunities for India After US H-1B Fee Hike

By A Staff Reporter

Delhi: Following the US decision to raise the fee for companies sponsoring H-1B visa applicants to $100,000, S Mahendra Dev, member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, said India stands to gain from the move as skilled professionals may choose to remain in the country.

“In India, a lot of things are happening. So we will have more startups, more companies in cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad and Gurgaon; all will benefit because of these startups and other things,” Dev said. He added that retaining talent in India would contribute to the country’s vision of a Viksit Bharat (developed India).

Dev also spoke on trade and economic diversification, highlighting India’s multi-pronged strategy amid US-India tariff negotiations. “One is helping the industry, like textiles and others, with loans and lower interest rates. Second, we are diversifying into other countries. Third is FTA; we are speeding up. Fourth, we are continuing the negotiations. Hopefully, within the next one or two months, we’ll have something,” he said.

He noted that India has already secured favorable tariff reductions with the UK and is in ongoing discussions with Europe, the UAE, and other countries to expand trade partnerships. While acknowledging potential impacts on some sectors, Dev expressed optimism about India’s economic trajectory. “Overall, I feel that India may benefit if they stay back in India and get good jobs… India is also progressing very well,” he said.

The H-1B visa program has long been a channel for Indian professionals to work in the US, and this recent fee hike is expected to influence both migration patterns and India’s domestic startup ecosystem.