New Delhi Slams US Vice President’s “Indentured Servant” Remark as Deeply Offensive
New Delhi: The Indian government has issued a sharp rebuke against United States Vice President JD Vance following his derogatory characterization of foreign workers employed by major tech firms, including Indian IT giants. During a media briefing in New Delhi on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal condemned Vance’s description of these employees as “indentured servants,” calling the rhetoric “deeply offensive.”
The tension follows an announcement by Vance on Thursday confirming that the US Labor Department has suspended eight major companies—including Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Wipro, HCL, and France’s Capgemini—from the PERM program. The PERM process is the mandatory initial step for employers sponsoring foreign professionals for green cards.
“Colonial Legacy” Rhetoric Criticized
Jaiswal asserted that using such loaded terminology, which carries heavy historical and colonial connotations, is entirely unwarranted. He emphasized that Indian professionals in the US are not only highly educated but serve as vital contributors to the American economy.
“Resorting to terminology that carries painful historical and colonial legacy connotations is deeply offensive,” Jaiswal said, noting that the move by the US administration does little to advance the shared ambitions of both nations. The ministry maintains that talent mobility remains a cornerstone of economic success for both India and the US, benefiting global companies and their shareholders alike.
Impact on the PERM Program
While the suspension targets the PERM process, the MEA clarified that it is distinct from the H-1B visa program. Currently, the order does not invalidate existing H-1B visas or alter the status of current visa holders and their families. However, it creates significant uncertainty for those whose permanent residency aspirations were tied to the PERM pipeline.
Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling confirmed that the department has ceased accepting new PERM applications from the affected firms and halted the processing of pending ones. Microsoft remains the most significantly impacted entity, having processed over 3,000 PERM applications in the last fiscal year.
Legal Challenges Expected
Industry experts anticipate a wave of litigation following the announcement. Legal analysts point out that the Labor Department’s authority to unilaterally suspend employers is limited to 180 days without a formal investigation. Immigration attorneys in the US have indicated that lawsuits challenging the suspension are likely to be filed as early as next week.
The restriction adds to an increasingly complex landscape for US-based tech firms, which already face a proposed $103,265 fee for new H-1B visas and heightened scrutiny regarding their hiring practices.
Resilience in Indian Markets
Despite the geopolitical turbulence, Indian IT stocks showed surprising resilience on the Bombay Stock Exchange on Friday. Following the news, shares of major players like TCS, Wipro, HCL, and Infosys saw notable gains, rising between 2.7% and 5.5%. Analysts suggest that this market confidence stems from the fact that many of these companies have already pivoted toward a model less reliant on H-1B visas.
Industry body Nasscom reinforced this sentiment, noting that Indian tech firms have significantly reduced their dependence on these specific visa streams in recent years, with relatively few employees currently pursuing the PERM green card route. As the situation evolves, the Indian government continues to monitor the impact on its professionals abroad, urging the US to recognize the symbiotic value of the existing talent mobility framework.
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