West Will Lose Global Talent Race If It Shuts Doors on Skilled Indians: Jaishankar
Warning on skilled immigration tightening in the West.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has issued a stark warning to the United States and Europe over the economic risks of restricting skilled immigration. Speaking in New Delhi, Jaishankar cautioned that Western countries could become “net losers” if they continue to impose tighter regulations on the movement of highly specialized workers. He argued that in the modern era, where advanced manufacturing and innovation drive competitiveness, access to global talent is crucial.
Addressing the political pushback against immigration seen in parts of the West, Jaishankar stressed that the root causes were less about immigrant mobility and more about long-term policy choices. He pointed out that many Western nations deliberately allowed businesses to relocate overseas over the past two decades, a strategy that now constrains their economic options. “They have to find ways of fixing it,” he remarked, emphasizing that blaming immigration alone misses the real challenge.
India, Jaishankar said, seeks to highlight the mutual benefits of cross-border skilled worker mobility. He warned that excessive roadblocks to talent flow would ultimately work against Western economies. Given the increasing technological complexity of industries, countries require more specialized workers than they can produce domestically, creating a structural problem that cannot be solved by limiting immigration alone.
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On India’s own large pool of skilled professionals, the minister acknowledged that restricting outward movement is neither feasible nor desirable in a democratic society. While Indian workers naturally seek better opportunities abroad, Jaishankar emphasized that the solution lies in creating more domestic jobs through sustained high economic growth. Without this, India risks losing its talent base despite expanding its skilled workforce.
Jaishankar also predicted that though Western governments face social tensions over immigration, they would strike a “modest vivendi” — a pragmatic compromise balancing economic needs with political pressures. Ultimately, he stressed that the free exchange of talent is a win-win that drives innovation, growth, and competitiveness on both sides.
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