New Delhi: Former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant has sharply criticised US President Donald Trump’s move to impose a steep $100,000 (₹88 lakh) annual fee on H-1B visa applications, warning that the policy could severely stifle American innovation while fuelling India’s technological rise.

Reacting on X (formerly Twitter), Kant said the new restrictions would force global talent to shift focus from Silicon Valley to India’s burgeoning innovation hubs.

“Donald Trump’s $100,000 H-1B fee will choke U.S. innovation, and turbocharge India’s. By slamming the door on global talent, America pushes the next wave of labs, patents, innovation and startups to Bangalore and Hyderabad, Pune and Gurgaon,” he wrote.

“India’s finest doctors, engineers, scientists, innovators have an opportunity to contribute to India’s growth & progress towards #ViksitBharat. America’s loss will be India’s gain,” Kant added.

The comments came shortly after Trump, on Friday, signed a proclamation that dramatically overhauls the US high-skilled visa system, including a controversial hike in fees for H-1B visas — a programme heavily utilised by Indian tech professionals.

The executive order includes:

  • A $100,000 annual fee for H-1B visa applications, to be paid by the employer
  • The introduction of a ‘Gold Card’ visa programme offering a fast-track to US residency and citizenship for a fee of \$1 million for individuals and $2 million for businesses

The Trump administration argues that the changes are aimed at curbing abuse of the H-1B programme — originally designed to bring in top global talent — but which critics say has increasingly become a cost-cutting tool for companies looking to hire cheaper foreign labour.

However, immigration and tech experts warn that the policy could backfire by pushing skilled professionals away from the US to more welcoming destinations — including India.