#BTDavos2026: H1B Debate, Trump Rhetoric & Talent: Why America Still Needs India’s Professionals

At BT Davos 2026, Business Today TV hosted an in-depth conversation with Mukesh Aghi, President & CEO, US–India Strategic Partnership Forum, co-moderated by Siddharth Zarabi, Group Editor, Business Today, and Rajdeep Sardesai, Consulting Editor, India Today TV. The discussion focused on people-to-people ties between India and the US, particularly concerns around H1B visas and rising political noise targeting Indian immigrants. Aghi acknowledged instances of visa misuse but stressed that America needs skilled Indian professionals, especially in healthcare and technology. He countered anti-immigrant narratives by highlighting the economic success of Indian-Americans, their outsized contribution to US GDP, and continued US openness to Indian talent despite rhetoric from fringe political voices.