Indian American lawmakers in the United States Congress called for a more balanced and future-oriented reset in US-India relations, urging Washington to prioritise strategic clarity, innovation and smoother mobility for talent. During a House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing on South and Central Asia, Representatives Ami Bera and Pramila Jayapal delivered two of the most substantive interventions on the trajectory of the bilateral partnership.
Bera, one of the longest-serving Indian American members of Congress, emphasised the depth of bipartisan support behind the relationship and highlighted a new resolution reaffirming three decades of strategic continuity. He said his recent visit to India underscored a growing alignment on long-term interests, with Indian officials, business leaders and military officers expressing confidence in closer cooperation with the United States and Europe. According to him, India is increasingly welcoming global investment, positioning itself as a trusted player in secure supply chains.
On defence ties, Bera noted the strength of maritime coordination in the Indian Ocean and encouraged expanded joint exercises. He said his interactions with the Western Naval Command signalled a strong appetite for deeper operational collaboration to ensure freedom of navigation across an increasingly contested region.
Bera raised concerns about barriers to scientific mobility, including a proposed $100,000 H-1B fee, warning that such policies harm innovation and weaken cooperation in critical sectors such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology and advanced manufacturing. He urged the creation of a dedicated visa pathway enabling scientists and engineers from both countries to collaborate more freely.
Jayapal, the first Indian-born woman elected to the US Congress, offered a personal perspective shaped by her own immigration journey. She warned that restrictive visa rules and sharply rising tariffs are straining families, businesses and bilateral trust. Citing concerns from entrepreneurs in her district, she said escalating tariffs pose the most serious threat some Indian American companies have faced in over a century.
She also drew attention to rising incidents of anti-Indian hate in the United States, stressing that the Indian American community plays a vital role in the nation’s economy and innovation ecosystem. On the geopolitical front, Jayapal questioned whether punitive economic measures could push India closer to forums such as BRICS or the SCO, a shift analysts said could undermine US interests.
Together, Bera and Jayapal outlined a dual agenda for the future: safeguarding democratic values and people-to-people ties while strengthening cooperation in defence, technology and economic openness. Their interventions reflected a broader push within the Indian American community for a stable, forward-looking partnership shaped not just by strategic goals but by the lived experiences of millions who form the human bridge between the two nations.
