Jaya asks Hillary to hike H1B visa quota

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, in her meeting with the visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, expressed concern over reduction in number of H1B visas even though in terms of number of visas issued, the Chennai US Consulate is the second largest in the world.

Since the the number of applications for H1B far exceeds the current quota of 65,000, there is a very high rejection rate, the chief minister said, and asked the visiting Secretary of State to increase the quota to 195,000.

The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the Overseas Private Investment Corporation of US has many opportunities for investments in the state and the US would look forward to many large investments here.

The US was betting big on India to open trade relations. Opening of country’s market would result in a prosperous India and South Asia,  Clinton said.

India and US were working together on G20 forum to promote clean energy, climate change,  and to protect cyber space and increase bilateral trade, according to her.

Democracy, economics, nuclear non-proliferation are the major areas where US and the Indian interests converge. The common interest was stepping up the economic relationship, she said, citing the strategic dialogue between the two governments.

The US is stepping up commercial diplomacy in the Asia Pacific region. Referring to the upcoming East Asian Summit at Indonesia, Clinton said her country will collaborate with India and others. “We encourage India to look East and Act East,” she said.  The two countries can work together in promoting democratic values in the Middle East and other regions, she said stating India ’s leadership role in the global space.