India, Oct. 3 -- In my five decades in the IT industry, I have come to accept one enduring truth, that "uncertainty is the only certainty". The recent hike in H-1B visa application fees is a reminder of this. It brings back memories of disruptions such as the dot-com collapse, the 2008 financial crisis, and the Covid-19 pandemic. Each of these seemed existential at the time, yet out of them emerged resilience and renewed confidence in the Indian IT sector's ability to adapt.

The US-India technology corridor, meanwhile, has long thrived on complementary partnerships. The H-1B visa was a policy innovation that addressed America's consistent shortage of STEM professionals. It powered US innovation while enabling Indian talent to contribute ...