India Pushes for Services, Tech in U.S. Trade Talks Despite Visa Hurdles
Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is in Washington this week, aiming to expand bilateral trade talks to include news services, with a focus on the technology sector. This comes despite growing uncertainty due to recent visa restrictions and ongoing tariff disputes. Until now, trade discussions have centered around market access for goods. However, India is now pushing to broaden the agenda to cover news services, including its thriving technology sector. This shift comes as the outlook for a trade agreement between Washington and New Delhi has become uncertain. The Trump administration's recent actions, such as imposing a 50 percent tariff on Indian exports and restricting H-1B visas, have added complexity to the negotiations. Analysts warn that the new visa restrictions could disrupt India's $280 billion technology services news sector and lead to job losses. In response, Indian officials plan to discuss greater access for skilled Indian workers in the U.S., particularly IT professionals, during this week's talks. The focus will be on Minister Goyal and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. The White House's decision to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions is expected to disproportionately affect Indian nationals. News, accounting for more than half of India's economy and nearly half of its overall trade, are a critical area in these negotiations. With Minister Goyal's visit, India hopes to make progress on this front, despite the challenges posed by recent U.S. policies.