During a meeting with a visiting U.S. congressional delegation in New Delhi, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor expressed surprise at the lack of vocal response from the Indian-American community regarding recent U.S. policy changes affecting India. He noted that despite decisions such as steep H-1B visa fee hikes and increased U.S. tariffs, there has been little outward advocacy from the diaspora.
Tharoor recounted that a U.S. Congressman pointed out he had not received even a single phone call from Indian-American constituents requesting support on the policy changes—something he found “very surprising.” He urged the diaspora to more actively communicate with their political representatives, emphasizing that caring about India must include lobbying for supportive policies.
Members of the Indian Parliament, along with the U.S. delegation, also brought up concerns over U.S. decisions on the Chabahar Port sanctions waiver and the 50% tariff on Indian goods. Tharoor stressed that though U.S. lawmakers acknowledged the strength of India’s economy and the contributions of its diaspora, the lack of response from the community has been noticeable. He underscored that many U.S. opinions, including in Congress, still favor a strong India-U.S. relationship, but participating voices are needed to influence the policy direction.
