India calls Vance's 'foreign indentured servants' remarks deeply offensive

NEW DELHI, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- India on Friday took a strong exception to U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance's remarks describing H-1B visa holders as "foreign indentured servants."

J.D. Vance speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States, on July 17, 2024. (File photo: Xinhua)

"We believe that such descriptions are unwarranted and ignore the fact that Indian professionals in the United States are highly educated and skilled contributors to its economy and innovation ecosystem," India's Ministry of External Affairs said in an official statement. "Resorting to terminology that carries painful historical and colonial legacy connotations is deeply offensive."

It should be clear that talent mobility adds value to both economies, said the statement, adding that the history of the United States itself has been shaped by generations of immigrants whose labor, enterprise and innovation have contributed to its growth and prosperity.

Regarding the U.S. Department of Labor's decision concerning the Permanent Labor Certification program, which suspended certain companies from relevant filings required for employment-based green cards, the statement said that the steps announced by the U.S. do not advance the shared ambitions of both countries.

India would continue to follow developments around this issue, according to the statement.