Congress dares PM Modi to respond to Trump’s ‘India-Pak ceasefire’ claim, H-1B visa shock in address to nation

On the eve of Navratri, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the nation at 5 pm on Sunday. But hours before his speech, the Congress took a sharp swipe, demanding whether Modi would confront US President Donald Trump’s controversial claims on India-Pakistan and speak on the H-1B visa crisis, or stick to the familiar script of GST rate cuts.

Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh said on X that Trump had once again 'stolen Modi’s thunder' by repeating, for the 42nd time, that he halted India’s Operation Sindoor using trade leverage. “Will the PM address these claims? Will he speak on fraught Indo-US ties and the concerns of lakhs of Indian H-1B holders? Or will he just repeat what we already know on GST?” Ramesh asked.

Modi’s speech comes with high stakes

The Prime Minister’s Office gave no hint on the subject of Modi’s evening address. The timing, however, is significant: revised GST rates take effect Monday, lowering prices for a wide range of goods. But Trump’s H-1B bombshell and ceasefire boasts have shifted the spotlight away from tax relief.

For lakhs of Indian professionals in the US, Trump’s move to impose a one-time $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions has triggered anxiety. While existing visa holders are exempt, the steep cost threatens to shut out new applicants and squeeze Indian IT companies.