Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation at 5 pm on Sunday, the Congress raised pointed questions about his response to pressing international and domestic issues. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh asked whether the PM would address concerns over US President Donald Trump’s sudden hike in H-1B visa fees, trade tariffs imposed on India, and Trump’s repeated claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. In a post on X, Ramesh also questioned whether Modi would offer reassurances to lakhs of Indian H-1B visa holders and crores of farmers and workers potentially affected by the US tariffs, or if he would merely reiterate information already known about the new GST rates, effective from Monday.
The controversy follows Trump’s abrupt decision last Friday to increase the annual H-1B visa fee to $100,000, causing panic among foreign workers and prompting companies to issue urgent advisories ahead of the September 21 deadline. The US administration later clarified that the fee applies only to new petitions and not to current visa holders. These developments come amid a downturn in Indo-US relations, with the US imposing a 25% reciprocal tariff in August, followed by an additional 25% levy on Russian oil purchases, raising the total to 50%. Meanwhile, Trump has been reiterating his claims that he played a role in ending hostilities between India and Pakistan during the May conflict, asserting that he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for brokering a ceasefire.
India has consistently clarified that there were no US-mediated discussions to end the hostilities and that the ceasefire in May was a result of bilateral military understanding. Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 following the Pahalgam terror attack, targeted terror camps and military installations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, resulting in the elimination of over 100 terrorists and strikes on 13 military bases. Modi’s office has not provided any hints about the content of his evening address, leaving the nation speculating whether he will tackle these international issues or stick to domestic GST-related updates.
