Trump’s $100,000 H-1B fee will ‘choke US innovation, turbocharge India’s’, says Amitabh Kant

Amitabh Kant

India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant on Friday said US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas will hurt American innovation and benefit India.

In a post on X, Kant wrote: “Donald Trump’s $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas will choke U.S. innovation, and turbocharge India’s. By slamming the door on global talent, America pushes the next wave of labs, patents, innovation and startups to Bangalore and Hyderabad, Pune and Gurgaon. India’s finest Doctors, engineers, scientists, innovators have an opportunity to contribute to India’s growth & progress towards #ViksitBharat. America’s loss will be India’s gain.”

Donald Trump’s 100,000 H-1B fee will choke U.S. innovation, and turbocharge India’s. By slamming the door on global talent, America pushes the next wave of labs, patents, innovation and startups to Bangalore and Hyderabad, Pune and Gurgaon . India’s finest Doctors, engineers,…

Story continues below Advertisement

Remove Ad

— Amitabh Kant (@amitabhk87) September 20, 2025

US President Donald Trump on Friday signed a proclamation restricting the entry of H-1B visa holders and sharply increasing the application fee to $100,000, a move that could deeply affect Indian professionals.

The H-1B program, capped at 85,000 new visas each year, is used extensively by tech companies and startups to fill roles requiring specialised expertise. Indian professionals account for the majority of H-1B recipients.

The new fee marks a sharp increase from existing visa charges, which until now amounted to a few thousand dollars depending on the employer. The Trump campaign has argued that the higher costs will encourage companies to hire more American workers.

Industry groups in the US have warned that the measure could make it significantly more expensive to employ foreign talent, with potential implications for research, development and innovation.

India, which supplies a large portion of H-1B workers, is expected to be most affected by the policy change.

Kant’s remarks come at a time when India is positioning itself as a hub for technology, research and startups, and as the government pushes its long-term vision of building a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047.