Deeply offensive: India shreds JD Vance's 'indentured servants' remark on H-1Bs

JD Vance accused IT firms of exploiting the system to replace American workers with foreign employees, terming H-1B visa holders "indentured servants". India pushed back against the characterisation, and pointed out immigrants' overwhelming contribution to the US economy.US Vice President JD Vance accused companies of exploiting the system to replace American workers with foreign employees. (Reuters)India on Friday strongly condemned US Vice President JD Vance for describing H-1B visa holders as "indentured servants", terming his remarks "unwarranted" and "deeply offensive" as Washington suspended applications under a programme that allows major tech companies to sponsor foreign employees for US permanent residency.The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) defended Indian professionals working in the US, stressing that they are highly skilled contributors to the American economy and innovation ecosystem. It also warned that the latest US measures undermine the shared economic interests of both countries."Resorting to terminology that carries painful historical and colonial legacy connotations is deeply offensive," the MEA said in a statement.The sharp reaction was in response to Vance's remarks while backing the US Labour Department’s suspension of the Permanent Labour Certification Programme, known as PERM, for eight IT giants, including Microsoft, Adobe, Capgemini, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL and Cognizant. Vance made it clear that these firms needed to hire "great American workers" instead of replacing them with "foreign indentured servants". Indentured servants were people bound by contracts to work for an employer for a specified period, often in exchange for passage to another country, debt repayment or other obligations. Many workers faced appalling conditions and little to no freedom under exploitative contracts.The term carries particular historical weight in India. Hundreds of thousands of Indians were transported to British colonies and other territories as indentured labourers during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Many were recruited to work on plantations in places such as Mauritius, Fiji, the Caribbean and South Africa. Pushing back against Vance's comment laden with colonial-era connotations, the MEA rejected the characterisation of Indian professionals and pointed to their contributions to US businesses, research and innovation.India also invoked America’s own history, noting that generations of immigrants had helped build its prosperity through their labour, enterprise and innovation.The government emphasised that talent mobility benefits both economies, not just Indian workers seeking opportunities abroad."While it creates opportunities for Indians, it equally helps US companies with cutting-edge talent, innovation, research, productivity, competitiveness and job creation, besides creating shareholder wealth in the US," the MEA said."This is therefore an area of tremendous mutual benefit for the two countries," it added, saying the measures announced by Washington did not advance their shared ambitions.WHAT IS PERM, AND WHO IS AFFECTED?PERM is a US labour certification process that employers generally must complete before sponsoring eligible foreign workers for employment-based Green Cards. It requires employers to demonstrate that there are not sufficient qualified and available US workers for the position and that hiring a foreign worker will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed American workers.The programme is distinct from the H-1B visa system, which allows US employers to hire foreign professionals in specialised occupations.The MEA clarified that the PERM suspension does not automatically affect existing H-1B visas or the status of visa holders and their dependents. However, it could disrupt or delay the permanent-residency process for eligible employees of the affected companies.- Ends