US protectionist shift may threaten India's IT exports, warns think tank

The Global Trade and Research Initiative (GTRI) has flagged growing protectionist measures by the United States targeting IT companies, signalling potential risks to India's technology exports and services sector.

According to GTRI, India should prepare for restrictions that could extend beyond green card sponsorship to encompass H-1B visa hiring, skilled worker mobility, and outsourcing arrangements. The think tank views recent US actions against IT firms as a sign of a broader protectionist policy shift.

The warning underscores concerns among Indian industry stakeholders about tightening immigration and trade policies in the US, India's largest market for IT services and software exports. Such restrictions could impact major Indian IT service providers that rely heavily on H-1B workers and cross-border project delivery models.