New Delhi: The US has assured India that it will attempt to “try and mitigate” the impact of the Donald Trump administration’s Monday decision to freeze student visas, ThePrint has learnt.
Sources said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, whose previous posting was as India’s Ambassador to the US until January this year, “strongly raised” the matter with the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale during the virtual Foreign Office Consultations Tuesday.
“The US side took note and said they will keep the best interests of the students in mind and would try and mitigate impact. Detailed implementation guidelines are yet to come out,” said an official source.
According to the source, the decision taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is likely to be reviewed by the US government, which also suspended a wide range of work visas such as the H-1B, H-4, L, J and H-2B last month.
The Ministry of External Affairs also put out a statement after the meeting, which said: “They (India and the US) discussed ways to further enhance mutually beneficial trade and people-to-people ties, including through visa facilitation for students and professionals.”
However, the statement issued by the US State Department on the meeting did not mention the visa issue.
Also read: US move asking foreign students to leave is arbitrary, injects uncertainty between strategic allies
The student visa issue
In a notification issued Monday, the US ICE said: “The U.S. Department of State will not issue visas to students enrolled in schools and/or programs that are fully online for the fall semester nor will U.S. Customs and Border Protection permit these students to enter the United States.”
The ICE also said students who are residing in the US and are enrolled in various programmes with such universities “must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status or potentially face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings”.
ThePrint had earlier reported that the move to freeze student visas came as a “surprise” for the Narendra Modi government, which believes such a move would prove detrimental for the US’ image as a prestigious educational destination.
US reaffirms support to India on China tensions
Sources said India and the US also discussed the ongoing border stand-off with China in the Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). India and China are aiming at a disengagement and de-escalation process, and President Trump has repeatedly assured support to India.
“Foreign Secretary Shringla and Under Secretary Hale exchanged views on a number of regional and global issues of shared interest. They reaffirmed their commitment to work towards ensuring a free, open, inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” the MEA statement said.
The State Department statement added: “Both officials look forward to this year’s U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue and pledged to remain in close contact on regional and international issues of mutual concern.”
Also read: Thousands of Indian couples, parents, kids separated, stranded after Trump’s H1B visa freeze