US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, 17 June affirmed that highly skilled Indian professionals would continue to find opportunities in the United States, calling Indians 'very talented people' during a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian, France. The remarks drew immediate attention in India, which remains one of the largest suppliers of skilled workers, engineers, and technology professionals to the American economy.

What Trump Said

Asked directly whether highly skilled Indian professionals would continue to receive opportunities in the US under his presidency, Trump responded without hesitation. 'Oh yeah, sure. I mean, always,' he said. 'We've always had tremendous relationships in terms of employment with India. Very talented people.'

Trump went further, describing the bilateral relationship in unusually warm terms. 'India can do anything they want with us,' he said. 'We have the best relationship. We cannot be closer than we are.' He also praised PM Modi's negotiating acumen: 'He's a very tough negotiator. He's one of the toughest, actually.'

Modi on the Bilateral Partnership

Prime Minister Modi described the meeting as a continuation of momentum built since the two leaders last met in Washington. 'We had an extremely productive meeting in Washington last year, and since then we have given new speed and new energy to our relations,' he said. 'We are working together on a number of areas.' Modi added that officials from both sides had been working in 'close coordination and engagement' to advance shared goals.

Why This Matters for India

India is consistently among the top source countries for H-1B visa holders and international students in the United States. Indian-origin professionals occupy leadership roles across major American technology companies, universities, and research institutions. Any signal from the White House on the status of skilled Indian workers carries significant weight for hundreds of thousands of professionals and students navigating the US immigration system.

This comes amid a broader context of tightening US immigration rhetoric, making Trump's affirmative comments at the G7 notably significant. The two countries have been expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and emerging technologies — sectors where Indian talent is deeply embedded in American industry.

Broader India-US Trajectory

The G7 sideline meeting underscored the growing strategic convergence between Washington and New Delhi. Trump's repeated emphasis on the strength of the relationship — 'a lot of things are happening between the United States and India' — suggests the bilateral agenda extends well beyond trade into technology, defence, and human capital. Analysts will watch whether the positive tone translates into concrete policy signals on visa processing and skilled worker access in the months ahead.