India Slams Vance's 'Indentured Servants' Remark on H-1B Workersਵੈਂਸ ਦੇ ‘ਇੰਡੈਂਚਰਡ ਸਰਵੈਂਟਸ’ ਟਿੱਪਣੀ ‘ਤੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਦੀ ਸਖ਼ਤ ਪ੍ਰਤੀਕਿਰਿਆ

India's Ministry of External Affairs has hit back at US Vice President JD Vance for describing foreign workers as "indentured servants," calling the terminology "deeply offensive" and reminding Washington that Indian professionals in the United States are highly educated and contribute to the American economy.

The ministry said "such descriptions... ignore the fact that Indian professionals in the US are highly educated," adding that "the history of the US itself has been shaped by generations of immigrants whose labour, enterprise and innovation" built the country, and that "terminology that carries painful historical and colonial legacy connotations is deeply offensive."

Vance used the phrase while defending the Trump administration's suspension of several Indian IT giants — including Cognizant, Infosys and TCS — from the PERM programme, which lets employers sponsor foreign workers for green cards. New Delhi said Washington's steps "do not advance the shared ambitions of both countries."

Why it matters for Indian workers

Indians receive the majority of H-1B skilled-worker visas issued each year, and Punjabi professionals and students are heavily represented among Indian workers in the United States. The administration has also raised the H-1B application fee sharply and tightened scrutiny of the programme, raising anxiety among Indian families. Jugti reported earlier this week on the US move to suspend the Indian IT firms from the PERM green-card programme.

What Vance said

Vance has argued that the H-1B programme should not be used to replace American workers with lower-paid foreign staff, and has defended the administration's crackdown as protecting US jobs. New Delhi's unusually sharp response signals that the visa issue has become a diplomatic irritant between the two countries.

What did JD Vance say about foreign workers?

Vance described foreign workers as "indentured servants" while defending the US suspension of Indian IT firms from the PERM green-card programme.

How did India respond?

The MEA called the term "deeply offensive," said Indian professionals in the US are highly educated, and noted that generations of immigrants shaped America's history.

What is the PERM programme?

PERM is the US labour-certification programme that lets employers sponsor foreign workers for permanent residency. The US has suspended firms including Cognizant, Infosys, TCS and Microsoft from it.

Why does this matter to Punjabis?

Indians hold the majority of H-1B visas, and many Punjabi professionals and students work in the US on these routes, so tighter rules and the diplomatic row directly affect their prospects.