Modi Urges India ‘Atma-nirbharta’ Amidst US H-1B Policy Ripples

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged people to believe and aspire for "Atma Nirbhar Bharat", rallying a cry for economic independence. Speaking at a public event at Gandhi Maidan in Bhavnagar, Modi warned that reliance on foreign powers remains India's true foe, a message that landed with fresh urgency hours after the U.S. imposed a hefty $100,000 annual fee on companies hiring H-1B visa workers - a move poised to sideline Indian tech talent on an unprecedented scale.

Flanked by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Modi kicked off the "Samudra Se Samriddhi" program by inaugurating projects worth over ₹34,200 crore, including maritime infrastructure upgrades, a new international cruise terminal in Mumbai, and enhancements to the National Maritime Heritage Complex in nearby Lothal. "In this world, we have no great enemy. If there is one, it is our dependence on other countries," PM Modi said without making any direct reference to the H-1B row. "The more we lean on outsiders, the more we invite failure. The cure for a hundred sorrows is self-reliance”, he further added.

The Prime Minister's words, laced with references to ancient Indus Valley ports unearthed in Lothal, wove a narrative of India's maritime legacy fuelling modern prosperity. He spotlighted how Gujarat's shipbuilding hubs and fisheries clusters could rival global giants, urging youth to innovate locally rather than chase visas abroad. "Our ancestors traded spices and ideas across oceans without begging at borders. Today, let's reclaim that spirit," he said, drawing cheers from fishermen, engineers, and students who had braved the midday sun.

This plea arrives on a day shadowed by transatlantic tensions. Earlier in Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump inked the executive order slapping the exorbitant surcharge on H-1B hires, targeting what he termed "exploitative outsourcing." With Indians comprising nearly three-quarters of the 85,000 annual visas, the policy is expected to crater approvals, hammering firms in U.S. to not be inclined towards hiring people outside U.S because of the $100,000 annual fee companies have to pay to the government for every H-1B recruit. Industry analysts at FICCI project a $15 billion hit to India's IT exports next fiscal year, potentially stranding 200,000 professionals in limbo.​