US President Donald Trump commended Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, expressing confidence that Modi “will do what’s right” in addressing the issue of undocumented Indian immigrants in the United States. Trump’s remarks followed a phone call with the Indian Prime Minister, where the two leaders discussed a range of bilateral and global issues.
The conversation comes as the US administration intensifies its efforts to combat illegal immigration. President Trump has vowed to implement the largest deportation programme in US history. According to Bloomberg News, India and the US have jointly identified approximately 18,000 undocumented Indian nationals currently residing in the US.
India Open to Legitimate Returns of Illegal Migrants
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently met with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to address concerns about irregular migration. Jaishankar emphasized India’s commitment to facilitating the legitimate return of its undocumented citizens while ensuring proper verification.
“As a government, we are obviously very much supportive of legal mobility because we do believe in a global workplace. We want Indian talent and Indian skills to have the maximum opportunity at the global level,” Jaishankar told Indian reporters in Washington DC.
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He also reiterated India’s strong stance against illegal migration, noting its potential to attract other illicit activities and harm the nation’s reputation. “If any of our citizens are there illegally, and if we are sure that they are our citizens, we have always been open to their legitimate return to India,” Jaishankar stated.
However, the External Affairs Minister highlighted issues such as prolonged visa processing times, which he believes do not serve the US-India relationship effectively. “If it takes 400-odd days of waiting period to get a visa, I don’t think the relationship is well served by this,” he added.
Skilled Migration Still a Priority
Despite the focus on deporting illegal immigrants, President Trump underscored his openness to skilled legal migration. India, recognized globally for its IT professionals, remains a significant contributor to the US workforce, particularly through H-1B visas. These visas allow thousands of highly skilled Indian workers to contribute to the US economy annually.
US Tariffs Target India, China, and Brazil
In a related development, President Trump called out India, China, and Brazil as “high-tariff countries” during a Florida retreat with House Republicans. Trump announced plans to impose tariffs on nations and entities that he believes harm American interests.
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“We are going to put tariffs on outside countries and outside people that really mean harm to us,” Trump said, singling out countries like China and India for their trade policies.
The US President has also urged foreign companies to establish manufacturing units within the United States to avoid such tariffs. Highlighting his “America First” agenda, Trump asserted, “Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich foreign nations, we should be tariffing and taxing foreign nations to enrich our citizens.”
A New Era in US-India Relations?
As the US ramps up its immigration policies and trade actions, the future of US-India relations will depend heavily on mutual cooperation. While Modi’s commitment to addressing undocumented migration may align with US objectives, challenges like high tariffs and visa delays could impact the broader bilateral relationship.
India’s openness to facilitating the return of undocumented immigrants, paired with its emphasis on skilled migration, underscores the nation’s desire to balance global mobility with legal integrity. Whether these efforts will meet US expectations remains to be seen.
By focusing on these key issues, both nations have the opportunity to strengthen their partnership while addressing mutual concerns.
