HIB Visa 'A Thing Of Past': Says Union Minister After US Visit (image@Pixabay)
Piyush Goyal, the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, declared that the H1B visa issue is now “a thing of the past”. He made the remarks during a meeting at Vanijya Bhavan, New Delhi. He said H1B visa would no longer be a point of discussion in international dialogues, marking a shift in focus towards other areas of economic and strategic partnerships.
Goyal’s recent visit to Washington included a two-day stay in New York, where he met with CEOs of major companies to discuss reforms initiated by the Modi government aimed at boosting foreign investments in India, especially in the pharmaceutical and diamond sectors
His discussions with the business mughals primarily focused on restructuring the forum, as the terms of several members are set to expire in December. Various Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were also signed during the visit.
The visit also involved meetings with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), think tanks, educators, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Goyal described the visit as different from previous trips, noting that there were no “negative agendas” on the table, reflecting a more positive outlook towards Indo-US relations.
Discussions extended beyond traditional sectors, covering potential partnerships in critical areas such as clean energy development, technology transfer, digital telecommunications, and defence, said media report.
Talks on biosciences have been ongoing, though Goyal noted that progress on biofuels was limited due to the upcoming US elections.
Talks about setting a stable exchange rate between the Indian rupee and the US dollar, which could benefit bilateral trade, were also on the table.
Tourism and the development of the digital economy were also focal points during the minister’s meetings. Goyal’s engagements at the CEO forum and with the CA forum aimed to showcase India’s evolving business landscape and ongoing economic reforms, positioning the country as an attractive destination for global investment.
(With inputs from agencies)
