'Why is the Indian-American diaspora so silent': Shashi Tharoor raises concerns over over H-1B visa hikes, tariffs

Shashi Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday highlighted the surprising silence of the Indian-American diaspora on critical issues affecting India-US relations.

Leading a meeting between US Congressional delegation and India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, the Thiruvananthapuram MP prompted the diaspora community to be more vocal on issues concerning them. His response came after a congresswoman shared that she hadn’t received a single call from Indian-American voters urging policy changes.

The five-member delegation, all Democrats (four from California), expressed strong support for India-US partnership despite recent challenges like H-1B visa restrictions and trade tariffs.

Speaking with ANI, Tharoor stressed that if Indian-Americans care about their motherland, they must actively advocate for India’s interests and pressure their political representatives.

“I do want to stress that one of the points we raised was why the Indian-American diaspora has been so silent about all of this. One of the congresswomen said that not one phone call has come to her office from any Indian-American voter asking for her to support a change of policy, and this is something that is surprising and that I think we all need to reach out to the Indian-American population saying, if you care about the relationship with your motherland, then you also have to fight for it, speak for it and make more of an effort to press your political representatives to stand up for India. But the ones who came here are already friends of India, well disposed towards India and they have spoken very warmly and positively of the relationship…,” Tharoor told ANI.

Tharoor noted that the visiting US lawmakers were already “friends of India,” praising India’s economic resilience and the contributions of its diaspora. He emphasised that American opinion, including Congress, remains committed to strengthening India-US relations.

The meeting between a delegation of US Congresspersons and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs was led by Tharoor at Parliament House Annexe Extension Building.