'Stop fu***ng Indian takeover of our companies': How rising anti-India rhetoric puts US corporates like Walmart in spotlight

A Walmart sign hangs on the exterior of the store on November 20, 2025 in Hollywood, Florida.

Anti-Indian rhetoric is rising in the US amid immigration crackdowns, with Indian Americans facing workplace, online, and public harassment. Hate crimes and slurs have surged, while companies grow quieter on racial issues, leaving the community increasingly targeted.

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As the Trump administration widens its immigration crackdown, a sharp and troubling rise in anti-Indian rhetoric is playing out across the United States. Indian Americans, long seen as a successful and integrated immigrant community, are increasingly being singled out by far-right voices, with the hostility spilling into workplaces, online spaces, and public discourse.

According to a report by the Financial Times, major US companies such as FedEx, Walmart and Verizon have found themselves at the centre of racist attacks targeting Indian executives and employees. In one widely shared incident, a video of a wrecked FedEx truck circulated on X just before Christmas, prompting users to lash out at the Indian heritage of FedEx chief executive Raj Subramaniam.

“Stop the fucking Indian takeover of our great American companies,” one user wrote.

Right-wing commentators amplified claims that Subramaniam was firing white American workers and replacing them with Indians. FedEx rejected the allegations, telling the Financial Times, “For more than 50 years, FedEx has fostered a merit-based culture that creates opportunity for everyone. We take great pride that this has resulted in a workforce that represents the diversity of the more than 220 countries and territories we serve.”

Visa crackdown and online harassment

The surge in abuse has coincided with tighter scrutiny of the H-1B visa programme. Last September, the US government launched “Project Firewall” to investigate alleged visa fraud. Soon after, anonymous social media accounts began doxxing employees at companies such as Walmart, Verizon and Dish Network, accusing them of illegally selling jobs to Indians.

“Indian Green Card Managers must be kicked out of the country,” read one post that featured screenshots of a Walmart recruiter’s LinkedIn profile.

The backlash drew criticism from Vivek Ramaswamy, an ally of President Donald Trump, who spoke out at the AmericaFest conference. “The idea that a ‘heritage American’ is more American than another American is un-American at its core,” he said.

Ramaswamy himself has been targeted by xenophobic abuse from Trump’s MAGA base, with social media users telling him to “go back to your country.”

Hate statistics and organised campaigns

Threats of violence against South Asian people rose 12 percent in the year to November, the Financial Times reported, citing data from advocacy group Stop AAPI Hate and counterterrorism firm Moonshot. Online use of slurs against South Asians jumped by 69 percent.

The Center for the Study of Organized Hate has also tracked coordinated harassment campaigns against Indian American entrepreneurs who received loans from the Small Business Administration. Executive director Raqib Naik described the trend as a “spike in discrimination and harassment in the US portraying Indians as job stealers and visa scammers.”

Cultural backlash and political silence

Anti-Indian sentiment has also surfaced in cultural contexts. A viral video showing Indian grocery stores and restaurants in the Dallas Fort Worth area drew comments from conservative influencer Kambree, who claimed parts of Texas “no longer feel like America.” The clip, shared by Wall Street Apes, framed the visible Indian presence as evidence that the country was being “lost.”

At the same time, advocacy groups told the Financial Times that many US companies have grown quieter on racial issues. Following pressure from Republican leaders, dozens of firms have rolled back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, making them more reluctant to condemn anti-Indian racism or support cultural events like Diwali.

Even Kash Patel faced backlash from MAGA supporters after posting a simple Diwali greeting on X. His message, “Happy Diwali—celebrating the Festival of Lights around the world, as good triumphs over evil,” triggered a flood of anti-Hindu remarks.

As immigration becomes an increasingly polarising political issue, the Indian American community is finding itself thrust into an uncomfortable spotlight. What was once framed as a debate over visas and jobs is now, critics warn, sliding into something far uglier.