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India requested US government to treat the visa for IT Professionals from India as a trade issue rather than an immigration issue.

During a meeting of the Indo-US Joint Working Group on ICT (Information, Communication and Technology), held in Washington last week, both the parties have came across the issue.

“During our meeting with the US officials we asked them to consider the visa for IT professionals as a issue relating to trade in services rather than an immigration issue,” Department of Electronics and IT Secretary R S Sharma told reporters here.

Sharma today met with the US Ambassador to India Richard Verma and signed a joint declaration of intent for cooperation in the field of Information & Communications Technology and Electronics (ICTE) between both the nations.

“This step is likely to increase the partnership between both the countries on the Digital India programme, electronic manufacturing, cyber security and other related fields,” Sharma told here with media.

“The declaration adds to the natural convergence between both the countries and will strengthen cooperation between industries in the ICTE sector,” the Verma said.

For a period of next five years the declaration works in strengthening industrial, technological, research & innovation and economic cooperation between India and US in the ICTE sector.

It would also lead to US firms exploring opportunities for collaboration in Digital India, electronics manufacturing and human resource development, through cooperation between the firms in a focused manner on par with the ongoing India-US ICT Dialogue, Sharma said.

He said the meeting of the Indo US Joint working Group on ICT was held in Washington last week and the next meeting is scheduled to take place in India in the next six months.

If US consider our version that will be the best news for IT professionals and for the Indian based companies like Wipro, TCS, Infosys and others. These companies are sending professionals and work force to US from India for short term periods. With the proposed Border Security Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act 2013, companies have to reduce our workforce and should engage local professionals at higher remuneration or compensation.

-Kannamsai