- The whole world is under some distress and disturbance consequent to the tariff war unleashed by Donald Trump is stating the obvious. The widespread disruptions caused to the global community by the tariff move have affected every country in one way or the other way. Some countries have stayed true to their self by not only resisting the bullying moves of Trump but also have counter-tariffed the USA with their own set of tariffs. China comes readily to mind. Further, several countries have not gone to town announcing the counter-measures but have silently imposed/insulated to ensure their interests are not too overtly affected. One of the sectors that has taken a hit is the students aiming for higher studies in the US. Indian students are affected too.
PC: News Arena
- Indian students saw a 45% drop in US visas issued this August compared to the same period last year, per reports. And their feeling of being singled out for hurt is not baseless. For example, the Chinese received twice as many student visas in August than the Indians. The US is hurting itself with such actions, but that’s up to American policymakers to handle. Indian authorities must address the hurt to our students. The students who are no longer getting admissions, funding, and visas have no less talent today than last year, when that pipeline was flowing meritocratically. What is urgently needed in the country is an emigration minister of India, EMI, to coordinate with MEA and states to ensure that this talent supply pipeline remains intact.
PC: Business Today
- For the uninitiated, in May, Science published an insightful paper on the effects of high-skilled international emigration on origin countries. It underlines how 62% of the top 100 scorers on IIT entrance exams are abroad, and how that’s not brain drain, but brain gain. Moreover, not just in India but also in China, Israel, and Taiwan, migrants have spurred IT industries at home, providing venture capital, knowledge, and network connections. Critically, the net drain/gain effect at home depends on policy responses. For example, more Indians acquiring computer science skills than the people emigrating raised the quality of human capital, and to the extent that this was complemented by policies helping business creation, it raised population-wide wellbeing.
PC: News18
- Now, as traditional destinations turn hostile, an EMI must guide students to fresh pastures. Maybe Ireland and the Netherlands offer opportunities that the US and UK no longer do. In a geo-educational environment that changes day by day, India mustn’t leave its students fumbling. The country’s talented young need customized help that’s based on researching global opportunities. Only a powerful GOI ministry can provide that. Think about why India’s remittances of $135bn dwarf China’s $50bn. Yes, our diaspora is the world’s largest. Also, China’s economy, five times ours, provides more high-grade opportunities. Of course, we must build the domestic bandwidth in both educational and employment excellence. The EMI should complement these efforts.
 to coordinate with MEA and guide students toward alternative destinations like Ireland and Netherlands. Research shows that high-skilled emigration can create "brain gain" rather than drain when supported by proper policies, as evidenced by India's $135 billion in remittances and the positive impact of diaspora networks on domestic IT industries through venture capital, knowledge transfer, and connections.){kind=link}