India calls Vance’s ‘foreign indentured servants’ remark unwarranted
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India has criticised US Vice President JD Vance’s description of foreign workers as “indentured servants” amid a crackdown on green card applications.
India called his remarks “unwarranted” and warned that the measures undermine the shared interests of both countries.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said the movement of skilled professionals benefits both economies by supporting innovation, research, productivity, competitiveness and job creation in the US, while creating opportunities for Indian workers.
“This is therefore an area of tremendous mutual benefit for the two countries, and our expectation is that all stakeholders in this process can appreciate this fact. The steps announced by the US do not advance the shared ambitions of both countries,” the ministry said.
The response follows the US suspension of applications under the Permanent Labour Certification (PERM) programme for eight IT companies: Microsoft, Tata, Wipro, Infosys, Adobe, Cognizant, HCL and Capgemini. PERM is a key step in the employer-sponsored green card process. US officials have alleged that the practice has disadvantaged American workers.
India clarified that PERM is separate from the H-1B visa programme. The suspension does not, by itself, affect the validity of existing H-1B visas or the status of visa holders and their dependents, but could affect the permanent residency applications of eligible employees at the companies concerned.
The ministry said Vance’s remarks ignored the contributions of highly educated and skilled Indian professionals to the US economy and innovation ecosystem. It added that immigrants had helped shape American growth and prosperity, describing language with historical and colonial connotations as “deeply offensive”.
Vance had suspended Microsoft’s participation in the PERM programme, accusing the company of replacing American workers with foreign employees. He claimed Microsoft had laid off 6,000 American workers over the past year while benefiting from 6,300 H-1B visas and nearly 3,000 green cards.
More than 5.2 million people of Indian origin live in the US, according to estimates based on US Census data.