President Donald Trump’s September 19 executive proclamation imposing a $1,00,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications represents more than an immigration policy shift — it marks the effective abandonment of a strategic partnership that has defined India-US relations for over two decades. With Indians comprising 65 per cent of H-1B visa recipients in 2024, this policy deliberately targets one of America’s most successful immigrant communities while undermining the foundation of bilateral cooperation that both nations have painstakingly built since the nuclear deal of 2005.

The India-US strategic partnership, formally launched during President George W Bush’s administration and strengthened under successive governments, was predicated on shared democratic values, complementary economic strengths, and mutual respect for each nation’s contributions to global prosperity. The centrepiece of this relationship was the recognition that India’s human capital could drive American innovation while American markets and technology could accelerate India’s development. This symbiotic vision now lies in tatters.