# Congress attacks Modi government over Trump’s H-1B visa fee extension 2026-09-19T19:06:59+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Congress on Saturday accused the Narendra Modi government of appeasing US President Donald Trump after Trump extended for another 12 months a requirement for a $100,000 payment on certain H-1B visa petitions. The White House also announced tighter scrutiny of H-1B applications, directing agencies to consider layoffs of American workers when reviewing petitions. Congress media chief Pawan Khera said the move would hit Indian IT firms, tech professionals and students. He listed possible consequences: harder entry for Indian students into the US workforce, fewer sponsorships from small firms, a talent drain to the UK, Canada and Australia, and lower remittances to India. Khera posted, "Modi bent over backwards to appease Trump. Trump got the appeasement. India took the humiliation and the hit." Trump's proclamation said the 2025 measure had already caused a 92% drop in H-1B registrations by large IT outsourcing firms. Indians are the largest group of H-1B beneficiaries. The White House defended the measures as steps to protect American workers and prevent undercutting of US labour. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both Deccan Herald and India Today report the Congress attack and the White House justification without endorsing either side. The Congress framing leads with political humiliation and economic damage to Indian tech, while the White House framing centres on programme integrity and protecting American workers. Neither source quotes a government rebuttal or independent assessment of the fee's impact. The central tension is between Indian political fallout and US domestic policy goals. The next number to watch is the actual change in H-1B approvals for Indian applicants over the coming year. ## Coverage - deccanherald.com (neutral report) Leads with Congress attack but reports Trump's proclamation and White House defence without comment - indiatoday.in (neutral report) Balances Congress allegations with White House rationale, no editorial slant Tags: Congress, Donald Trump, H-1B visa, Narendra Modi, Pawan Khera Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/congress-attacks-modi-government-over-trumps-h-1b-visa-fee-extension/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/congress-attacks-modi-government-over-trumps-h-1b-visa-fee-extension/#story-in-brief