A Visiting US Democratic Delegation Voices Concerns Over President Trump’s Policies During Meeting with Indian MPs
A delegation of five US Democratic lawmakers recently engaged with Indian Members of Parliament (MPs) from across party lines in the Standing Committee on External Affairs, chaired by Dr. Shashi Tharoor. The meeting provided an opportunity for frank discussions on several pressing issues pertaining to US-India relations.
During the interaction, the Democratic delegation expressed strong concerns regarding policy changes implemented by US President Donald Trump. Sources reveal that questions were raised by Indian MPs about key issues such as modifications to the H-1B visa program, the 50% tariff imposed on Indian goods, and the persistent involvement of President Trump in matters affecting bilateral ties.
In response, the visiting Democrats urged Indian MPs to motivate the Indian diaspora in the United States to speak out against these policy shifts. They emphasized the importance of advocacy within the Indian-American community to influence US policy decisions favorably.
Following the meeting, committee chairman Dr. Shashi Tharoor addressed the media, stating, “I do want to stress that one of the points we raised is why the Indian-American diaspora has been so silent about all this. One of the Congressmen said not one phone call has come to her office from any Indian-American voter asking her to support a change of policy. This is something that is surprising.”
He further added, “We all need to reach out to the Indian-American population, saying if you care about your relationship with the motherland, then you also have to fight for it and speak for it, and make more of an effort to press your political representative to stand up for India.”
Dr. Tharoor underscored that the visiting US lawmakers are well-disposed towards India and are friends of the country, making their concerns and suggestions particularly noteworthy.
Besides visa and tariff-related issues, the committee also discussed the US sanctions waiver for Iran’s Chabahar Port—an important development project led by India.
The H-1B visa concerns were especially highlighted by opposition leaders from the Samajwadi Party, including Ballia MP Sanatan Pandey and Firozabad MP Akshay Yadav, both of whom noted how these policies affect numerous Indians.
Sanatan Pandey shared, “Sanatan Pandey and I met with the visiting delegation led by Amerish Bera. We told them that we are the third-largest party in India and our leader, along with Akshay Yadav from the Samajwadi Party, raised this matter.”
The delegation also included BJP MPs such as Sudhanshu Trivedi, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Aparajita Sarangi, and Bansuri Swaraj, among others.
The first half of the meeting featured a detailed briefing on India-Sri Lanka relations, with India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri providing insights to the committee members.
This interactive session marks an important step in fostering dialogue and cooperation between US lawmakers and Indian parliamentarians concerning bilateral matters, diaspora engagement, and regional strategic interests.
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