Visa hike to choke US innovation, help India: Ex-G20 Sherpa Kant

New Delhi: The decision to hike H-1B visa fees will choke US innovation and boost India's, former G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant said Saturday. "By slamming the door on global talent, America pushes the next wave of labs, patents, innovation and startups to Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Gurgaon," he wrote on X."India's finest doctors, engineers, scientists and innovators can contribute to India's growth and progress towards #ViksitBharat. America's loss will be India's gain," he added. Kant, ex-CEO of Niti Aayog, said 85% of H-1B visas are used by US tech companies. "Only one Indian company is in the top 10 H-1B sponsors. Big Tech-Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Apple and Google-remain the top five," Amitabh Kant told TOI.He said Trump's move raises costs and hurts innovation for US firms. "Hiring locally isn't an option as talent isn't available. Costs rise, policies lack predictability. Firms will open Global Capability Centres or offshore," Kant said. Top Indian IT firms have cut H-1B filings 46% in five years, noting remote work makes offshoring easy."They do this simply because the United States does not have the talent. There is a massive shortage of high-end skills in computing, engineering and deep science in USA. These skills can't be created overnight," added Kant.