Sir — This refers to the report, “Indian techies in a spot over H-1B visa bridle” (February 1). By making hiring of Indian IT professionals costlier for American companies, by almost doubling salaries with the excuse that it is essential to ensure the payment of fair wages and prevent the exploitation of foreign workers, US President Donald Trump has reduced job opportunities for Indian techies.
US President Trump’s pre-election assurance that India will have a friend in him in the White House and his telephonic call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on assuming office and the latter’s lavish praise of him as almost his mirror image, where the Prime Minister likened the stir against Trump to that against him, have gone to make no difference.
For Trump, ‘America First’ is not the same as ‘India First’. For all his love for Indians and Hindus, Trump won’t be hesitant to bring anything to the chopping board if it serves his country’s interest, regardless of its detrimental effect on India.