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www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know Disclaimer:The views and opinions expressed on this page are those of the authors and Parikh Worldwide Media does not officially endorse, and is not responsible or liable for them. US India P resident Donald Trump wants to dramatically change a visa program for high-skilled workers, but he faces legal uncertainty and limited options when acting alone. Though everyone knows he is no fan of working with Congress, the extra effort could improve his plans - and make them stick. The H-1B visa program brings 85,000 high-wage, specialized workers to the United States each year. Trump has been inconsistent on legal immigration, and some of his businesses have used visa programs to hire guest workers. Many MAGA allies, however, are unhappy with this system. Immigration restrictionists have long argued that the H-1B program leads to lower wages for high- skilled American workers. This led the administration to announce last week that it would add a $100,000 annual fee for all H-1B visas - up from $215 currently - and change the rules of the lottery that issues visas to prioritize higher-paid workers. In response to backlash from business leaders, theWhite House said it would be a one-time $100,000 charge for new visa holders. Some business leaders are warming to the idea, but beware of big companies that welcome new regulations or taxes. A large fee, the argument goes, would eliminate the need for the lottery, which has long been abused by outsourcing firms that submit petitions and farm out visa winners to other companies. While the higher fee would make it much harder for employers to game the system, it would also primarily benefit established companies able to afford it. That would put scrappy start-ups at an even bigger disadvantage as they try to displace incumbents. And for rural or community hospitals already operating on narrow margins, it could be financially devastating. (The Post employs a number of H-1B holders.) Upending the H-1B program has wider consequences. Anyone seeking evidence of its success need only glance at the C-suites of Silicon Valley. Tech mogul Elon Musk, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Zoom founder Eric Yuan all have held H-1B visas. Such visa holders boost the number of patents issued for new inventions and fill labor shortages in crucial in- dustries such as health care. One study estimates that the program is responsible for 30 to 50 percent of the coun- try’s productivity growth between 1990 and 2010. The government doesn’t need to shut down this economic engine to stop companies from abusing it for the purpose of hiring cheaper IT contractors. There’s another problem: Trump probably doesn’t have the authority to implement the fee on his own. The H-1B system was established by Congress, and lawmakers have not granted the president any power to tax the visas. The executive order draws from a 1952 law that allows the president to “suspend the entry” of any immigrant who is “detrimental to the interests of the United States.” If that feels like a reach, it’s because it is. The president would find a Congress eager to work on this issue. Sen. Jim Banks (R-Indiana), for instance, recently introduced a bill that would similarly raise wage requirements for H-1B holders and replace the visa lot- tery with a bidding system. Does Trump want a quick win that disappears after he leaves office - or a more compre- hensive reform that will last for years to come? -Editorial Board/ TheWashington Post The H-1B Visa Needs Surgery, Not A Sledgehammer The Post-American Order Starts In Riyadh And Islamabad Delhi, in particular, has rejoiced in recent years at Paki- stan’s “isolation” from its old friends in the Gulf. Policy- makers here will have been informed of the Saudis’ deci- sion in advance, and understand the reasoning behind it. But it still stings, especially as India’s own choices have led it here. It has grown as close to Israel in the past decade as it has to Saudi Arabia, perhaps closer. That reduces its usefulness to either. The limits of this hedging strategy have become painfully clear. It tried to enhance its relationship with Iran, Israel and Saudi Arabia simul- taneously – and so, in the current crisis, none of them feel they can rely on New Delhi. A friend to all, it turns out, is a friend to none. This once applied to Pakistan as well, which has tried to embrace the Taliban, the Chinese, the Americans, and the Gulf. But it is now at odds with Kabul, and the US has turned away from the region. Paradoxically, that’s made Islamabad’s strategic choices much easier. Nobody is entirely happy. The Saudis are tired, like all Pakistan’s patrons, of a military establishment that over- promises and under-delivers. The Israelis recognize their “normalization” with Saudi Arabia will be further delayed. The Pakistanis have had to give up the autonomy they achieved in 2015; the Indians worry that Islamabad is no longer shunned; and the Iranians feel encircled. And when sense returns toWashington, policymakers will regret allowing a fresh alliance between the Middle East’s richest country and Beijing’s most loyal client. That’s what the post-American world will look like. Without the US, others will make whatever makeshift se- curity arrangements they can. Some may be unpalatable, even destabilizing. Nobody will feel better off – including Washington. Mihir Sharma is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. A senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, he is author of “Restart: The Last Chance for the Indian Economy.” -Bloomberg Opinion News India Times (September 27, 2025 - October 3, 2025) October 3, 2025 5 PHOTO:Demetrius Freeman/TheWashington Post President Donald Trump at the White House on Sept. 19. India Asks US To Allow Iran Oil In Order To Curb Russia Trade I ndian officials have again told the Trump administration that a signifi- cant reduction in Russian oil imports by the South Asian nation’s refiners would requireWashington to instead allow crude purchases from sanctioned suppliers Iran and Venezuela. A delegation visiting the US this week reiterated the request in meetings with American officials, a person with knowl- edge of the discussions said, asking not to be identified as the talks are private. Indi- an representatives have emphasized that simultaneously cutting off Indian refiners’ supply from Russia, Iran and Venezuela – all major oil producers – could lead to a spike in global prices, people familiar with the negotiations added. Spokespeople for the Commerce and Oil Ministries, and the US embassy in New Delhi, didn’t immediately respond to requests seeking comment. New Delhi’s representatives traveled to the US for talks afterWashington imposed crushing tariffs on the country in punish- ment for its oil trade with Russia. Despite the levies, the South Asian nation has maintained its crude imports from the OPEC+ producer, albeit at a lower rate. Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goy- al said this week that the country wanted to increase its purchases of American oil and gas, adding that “our energy security goals will have a very high element of US involvement.” He made the remarks in NewYork. Russia was forced to discount its crude after many others shunned trade with Moscow due to the war in Ukraine. Almost 90% of India’s oil needs are met by imports, and cheaper Russian barrels have helped to reduce the burden on its import bill. Iranian and Venezuelan oil would also be similarly discounted. India stopped buying Iranian oil in 2019, and the nation’s largest private refiner – Reliance Industries Ltd. – halted purchases of Venezuelan crude this year as the US tightened sanctions. Processors can shift to buying more Middle Eastern barrels, but it would come at a higher cost and inflate the overall import bill. Oil refiners paid an average $68.90 a barrel for Russian crude in July, compared with $77.50 from Saudi Arabia and $74.20 from the US, according to data from the Commerce Ministry. India is the biggest buyer of Russian oil delivered by tanker, while China is the largest overall importer, including deliveries by pipeline. The oil market is also on track for a large surplus next year as the OPEC+ alliance and producers from outside the group boost output, which is likely to put downward pressure on global crude prices. -Bloomberg By Ruchi Bhatia and Rakesh Sharma - Continued From Page 4