New Delhi, Sept. 20 -- Former senior Indian diplomat Mahesh Sachdev on Saturday described US President Donald Trump's proclamation of imposing a USD 100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications as a "two-edged sword", warning that it could undermine America's IT innovation while significantly impacting Indian companies reliant on the US market, though it may also spur outsourcing and local hiring strategies in response.

Commenting on the proclamation signed on Friday, Sachdev said that the move also appears largely aimed at appeasing Trump's political base, which often alleges that foreign workers are displacing Americans from well-paying jobs. However, he pointed out that this narrative rarely examines whether H-1B holders are hired bec...