The relationship between the United States and India is today on a strong footing, but long before the two warmed up to each other in the manner that they have, a robust Indian diaspora in the US formed a people-to-people bridge between the two great democracies. The instrumental role played by Indian-Americans – now comprising 2.7 million people with significant heft in economic and political spheres – was acknowledged by both President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s recent State visit earlier this year. This is why the demand by a group of US lawmakers, who urged the Biden administration to prioritise Green Card applicants from India, and reduce the wait period from a staggering 195 years in terms of the current backlog, is important. The demand from 56 lawmakers is bipartisan, underlining this is a key issue that is beyond politics. The protracted delays, no doubt engendered by the pandemic but also made worse by administrative gaps, cast a shadow on bilateral ties. In the past, the White House has directly taken cognisance of the long wait times for an interview at the American consulate . Now that India has a full-time US envoy in Eric Garcetti, resolving this needs to be prioritised.
Green Card barriers disproportionately affect Indian tech professionals, who constitute a large chunk of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) talent pool, playing a crucial role in maintaining Washington’s competitive edge. Long delays are a vexing wrinkle in an otherwise blossoming relationship. This should be addressed at the earliest for it can erode goodwill accrued organically over decades.
