Indian nationals accounted for 72.3% of all H1B visas issued by the United States between October 2022 and September 2023, the government informed the Rajya Sabha, citing data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The Indian government also confirmed that it is actively engaging with the US administration on issues related to the H1B visa programme through bilateral dialogue mechanisms.

Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, in a written response, emphasized the contribution of skilled Indian professionals to both India and the United States, particularly in the technology and innovation sectors. The Ministry was responding to a query regarding possible restrictions on the H1B visa programme and the steps taken by the Indian government to address them.

The Rajya Sabha was also informed that before the conflict in Ukraine, there were 21,928 Indian students in the country. However, as of November 1, 2024, only 1,802 students remain enrolled in various Ukrainian universities. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar provided additional data on Indian students affected by global conflicts, revealing that approximately 900 Indian students are currently in Israel, mostly pursuing PhD or postdoctoral studies in STEM fields.

Regarding the impact of economic downturns abroad, the Ministry stated that there is no available data on the number of Indian migrants who have returned to India due to job losses or financial instability in host nations. It was noted that state governments bear the responsibility for reintegrating returning migrants, with various states implementing measures to support them.