The outgoing US ambassador to India on Friday allayed fears of a reduction in visas at a time when assertions by US President-elect Donald Trump have sparked fears among Indian students and others looking for an opportunity to study or work in the US.

Eric Garcetti, the US ambassador to India, said the US economy required “smart, good and committed” students and workers from India.

The relationship between India and the US is growing and all Presidents, irrespective of the party they belong to, have shown this, he said.

Garcetti, though, flagged the issue of unlawful entry of a large number of Indians to the US and said any new administration would want to address such “legitimate issues”.

“If the past is prologue, this is a relationship that will continue to grow. Our student visas, our exchanges, our co-investment will continue to grow,” he said during a media interaction at the American Center in the city.

“I can’t predict everything that the incoming administration will do.... I know there
are good Indian Americans who have been nominated for important posts in the Trump administration,” Garcetti said.

“Even with the change in administration, I think it doesn’t matter which party is in power anymore in the United States. President after President, Republican or Democrat, have shown India is our relationship of the future,” he said.

“You don’t have to change your travel plans. For America, we need to have smart, good, committed students, workers, immigrants just for our own population needs, our own economic needs. When you think about the contributions Indian immigrants have made, it’s exceptional,” said Garcetti, a former mayor of Los Angeles.

“Indian tourists are among the best you can have. They spend more money when they come to the United States, create more jobs.”

He was asked about apprehensions that there will be a cut in the number of visas issued to Indian students and workers.

“I am confident there is not going to be a full-scale change,” Garcetti, a political appointee of the Biden administration, said.

The practice has been that all political appointees in foreign missions, not the foreign service officers, are asked to go once a new administration takes charge.

If the same tradition is followed, Garcetti will have to demit office on the intervening night of January 19 and 20. A final communication from Washington DC has yet to arrive, he said.

President-elect Donald Trump will have his inauguration on Janaury 20.

The ambassador did not mince words while speaking about unlawful entry into the US. He said Indians should not take the unlawful route.

“I think there will be legitimate issues that any new administration brings up, certainly on the unlawful entry. Right now, India is the largest source of unlawful immigrants to the United States outside the western hemisphere,” he said.

Garcetti was asked about the long waiting time for US visa interviews.

“There is an unlimited demand from Indians for US visas. On B1B2 visas (tourist and business visas), we brought down the waiting time from 1,000 days to 200-250 days. There is zero waiting time for other categories,” he said.

“Certain forces in India” prosper talking about waiting time because they want applicants to go to brokers, he said. “Every week about 15 per cent of our appointments go unfilled and 40 per cent of our appointments get changed.”

The number of visas granted has increased by 60 per cent since the time he became ambassador, said Garcetti, who assumed office in May 2023.

Bangla concern

The ambassador was part of a meeting last week between the national security advisers of India and the US, where the Bangladesh situation featured prominently.

“Both Biden and the incoming Trump administration have expressed the
importance of protecting minority rights.... Our national security advisers (Indian and the US) met last week. I was a part of that and Bangladesh was a big part of that conversation. How can we best help Bangladesh, how can Bangladesh hold elections as soon as possible... we all want to see a stable, prosperous and tolerant Bangladesh,” he Garcetti said.