- By Ajeet Kumar
- Sun, 24 May 2026 02:22 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Jaishankar raised US visa concerns with Marco Rubio.
- Discussed challenges for legitimate Indian travellers seeking US visas.
- Emphasized legal mobility shouldn't be impacted by delays.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said he had raised concerns over the difficulties faced by legitimate travellers in obtaining US visas during talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Speaking at a joint press conference after delegation-level bilateral discussions in New Delhi, Jaishankar said he discussed visa-related challenges impacting genuine Indian travellers seeking entry to the United States.
#WATCH | Delhi: On the question of recent changes in J1 visa, F1, H-1B visa, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says, "First of all, I accept the contribution that Indians have made to the U.S. economy. Over $20 billion has been invested in the U.S economy by Indian companies. We… pic.twitter.com/T9Bmp8QFsE
— ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2026
The issue was taken up during high-level talks between the two sides, as India and the US reviewed key aspects of their bilateral relationship. Jaishankar’s remarks come amid growing concerns over visa delays and procedural hurdles faced by applicants.
"I apprised Secretary Rubio of the challenges legitimate travellers face in visa issuances. While we cooperate on combating illegal migration, our expectation is that legal mobility will not be adversely impacted,” Jaishankar said.
What Rubio said on Indians not getting US visa
Responding to Jaishankar's concerns, Rubio said he knew the contribution of the Indian diaspora in shaping the US economy. He clarified Indians are not targetted deliberately but the scrutiny is applied for all countries.
"First of all, I accept the contribution that Indians have made to the US economy. Over USD 20 billion has been invested in the US economy by Indian companies. We want that number to continue to increase... The changes that are happening now, or the modernisation of our migration system into the United States, are not India-specific; it is global, it's being applied across the world," Rubio said.
"We are in a period of modernisation. We've had a migratory crisis in the United States. This is not because of India, but broadly, we have had over 20 million people illegally enter the United States over the last few years, and we've had to address that challenge... Everything that you do as a country needs to be in your national interest, and that includes your immigration policy," added Rubio.
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What Rubio said on anti-India hatered in US
Rubio rejected attempts to portray racism against Indians as a defining trait of American society, saying prejudice exists in every country and isolated incidents should not define a nation. Speaking alongside Jaishankar, Rubio responded to a question on rising attacks against Indians in the US, remarking, “Every country in the world has stupid people.”
The exchange drew attention after Jaishankar briefly smiled during the question. Rubio stressed that Indian-Americans are among the most successful communities in the US, contributing significantly to business, technology, medicine and public service, and said fringe behaviour should not overshadow broader India-US ties.