By Hitesh Jagad, – Chief Editor Dhwani Community Newpaper
When grapes turn sour or taste bitter, our first instinct is often to blame the fruit itself. Yet the truth is that the problem often lies not with the grapes, but with how we have nurtured the vineyard.
The recent sweeping changes to the U.S. H-1B visa program have caused a storm of reaction in India. Across TV debates, YouTube news channels, newspaper columns, and forwarded WhatsApp messages, the response has been intense, emotional, and, in many cases, exaggerated.
These reforms include higher annual fees and stricter conditions for companies employing foreign workers. They are presented as measures to protect American jobs and prioritize domestic workers. At first glance, this may seem harsh—especially for India, which accounts for nearly 80% of H-1B visa holders. Yet stepping back and analyzing the situation objectively reveals a broader reality.
India’s Strong Reaction—and the Hard Truth Behind It
India’s outrage is understandable because Indians dominate this program. Similar to Canada’s student migration flow, Indians are the largest group within the H-1B visa category. Along with this dominance comes an uncomfortable truth: Indians have also been among the biggest beneficiaries—and sometimes abusers—of this system.
Let us face the hard reality: not every Indian tech worker in the U.S. represents “world-class talent.” Many are employed under low-paying contracts, trapped in body-shop consulting firms, or subjected to exploitative arrangements. Misuse of the system was widespread. So, when the U.S. government acted to correct these flaws, India responded with shock, anger, and outrage. Instead of acknowledging the need to curb system abuses, much of the Indian media portrayed these reforms as an attack on Indian workers themselves.
Yet consider the flip side: if India were in the U.S.’s position, would it have acted differently?
India itself enforces strict immigration and visa regulations. It monitors illegal migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and other countries. It has rules to prevent the misuse of student visas. If India can take such steps to protect its citizens’ interests, why shouldn’t the U.S. do the same for its own?
Every country’s first duty is to its own people. America is no exception. If Americans feel their jobs are threatened or wages suppressed by foreign workers, the government is obliged to respond. These rules apply to all nationalities, not just Indians. Indians feel the impact most acutely because they are the largest group affected—but they are not uniquely targeted.
“Talent Will Stay in India”—Is This Reality or Illusion?
A viral, sarcastic slogan circulating on social media reads: “Thank you, Mr. Trump, for making Indians great again. Now Indian talent will stay in India.”
But do we truly believe this? Or is it simply a way to laugh at our own insecurities?
The truth is that Indian talent has flourished abroad because the U.S. provided opportunities India did not. Today, CEOs of global giants such as Google, Microsoft, IBM, and Adobe are Indian-born. We take pride in them—but the question remains: had they stayed in India, would they have received the recognition, resources, and platform to reach such heights?
Indian corporations like Adani, Ambani, Tata, Mahindra, Infosys, and Wipro have a global presence. Yet how many Indian-born professionals—without family connections—have risen to top global CEO roles purely on merit? The harsh reality is that Indian companies often fail to promote outsiders or reward pure talent. Nepotism, bureaucratic hierarchies, politics, and entrenched dynasties often prevail. In the U.S., meritocracy opened doors; in India, talent often stagnated.
When we say, “This reform will keep Indian talent at home,” we must confront the truth: staying in India is no guarantee of success. Our brightest minds did not want to leave—they had to, because India did not provide a platform commensurate with their abilities.
System Abuse: A Reality That Cannot Be Ignored
We must acknowledge another undeniable truth: the H-1B system was abused—not by all, but enough to create a significant problem. Many contracting firms, including several Indian-owned, underpaid workers, rotated them between projects, and treated skilled labor as a commodity to maximize profit.
As Americans observed their jobs being outsourced, political pressure grew. In democracies, political pressure eventually translates into law. Was a $100,000 annual fee steep? Perhaps. But corrective action was necessary.
The Lesson India Must Learn
Instead of expending endless energy criticizing the U.S., India should focus on a deeper question: why are so many Indians eager to leave?
If India had an ecosystem that truly rewarded merit, offered fair compensation, and provided young professionals with growth opportunities, would so many people queue for H-1B visas or Canadian study permits? This migration is not a celebration of foreign opportunities—it is a reflection of domestic stagnation and lack of opportunity.
India must take this as a wake-up call. Create better opportunities at home. Invest in research and development. Cut red tape. Confront nepotism. Reward innovation over lineage. If talent is valued at home, it will not need validation abroad.
Ironically, many Indian-born leaders in the U.S.—Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Arvind Krishna, and others—would quietly agree with this reform. Why? They witnessed the system’s abuse. They reached the top on merit but saw others trapped in exploitative arrangements that devalued Indian talent. If honest, they would say: “Yes, clean up the system—but do not punish true talent in the process.”
The Vineyard Analogy
This is not about shutting doors to the U.S.—doors are never fully closed; they merely become narrower, costlier, and more competitive. The real issue is India’s failure to create adequate doors at home.
Today, Indians are angry because the U.S. has raised the cost of entry. Tomorrow, Canada, Australia, or Europe may do the same. Will we cry every time? Or will we finally nurture our own vineyard, ensuring that our grapes do not taste bitter abroad?
It is easy to be patriotic when things go well. True testing comes when the world delivers a harsh truth. The H-1B reforms are one such truth. Rather than endless criticism, we should see this as a mirror for self-reflection. Yes, fight for humane treatment abroad. Yes, protect our people. But also ensure India becomes a land where talent flourishes at home—where the brightest minds succeed not abroad, but within its own soil.
Today, the grapes may taste sour. But if India reforms its soil, nurtures its vineyard, and rewards its talent, tomorrow’s harvest will be sweet—not just for the world to taste, but for Indians to savor at home.
