This article was last updated and fact checked on October 23, 2024 by Mani Karthik.
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, has declared that the H1B visa issue is now “a thing of the past” and will no longer be a focus in international discussions.
Goyal made this statement during a meeting at Vanijya Bhavan in New Delhi, signaling a shift in focus toward other areas of economic and strategic partnerships between India and the U.S.
During his recent trip to the United States, Goyal spent two days in New York meeting with top CEOs to discuss the Modi government’s reforms aimed at increasing foreign investment, especially in sectors like pharmaceuticals and diamonds.
Surat, known as a major hub in the diamond industry, was emphasized as a key area for these investments.
Around 30 business leaders already invested in India participated in the discussions, showing continued interest in expanding operations in the country.
Goyal then traveled to Washington, where he had a luncheon with 17 CEOs from the CEO forum, including Tata Sons’ top executive.
The discussions included restructuring the forum, as the terms of several members are set to expire in December, and signing various Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to deepen business ties between the nations.
His visit also involved meetings with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), think tanks, educators, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Goyal highlighted the positive nature of this trip, remarking that there were no “negative agendas” and the outlook on Indo-US relations was optimistic.
In addition to traditional sectors, the talks covered key areas like clean energy development, technology transfer, digital telecommunications, and defense partnerships.
Goyal also mentioned that while biosciences discussions are ongoing, progress on biofuels remains slow due to the upcoming US elections.
There were even conversations about stabilizing the exchange rate between the Indian rupee and the US dollar to enhance bilateral trade.
Tourism and the development of the digital economy were also central topics during Goyal’s discussions, as he aimed to showcase India’s evolving business landscape and economic reforms, positioning the country as an attractive destination for global investment.
