Modi raises issues of Indian professionals including H-1B Visas with Biden

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his first-ever in-person meeting with US President Joe Biden raised a number of issues involving the Indian community in the US, including access for Indian professionals in the country and spoke about the H-1B visas, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has said.

"He (PM Modi) spoke of the issue of getting access for Indian professionals to the United States. In that context he mentioned H-1B visa," Shringla said while addressing reporters on Friday (local time).

"He (PM Modi) also spoke of the fact that many Indian professionals who work here (in the US) contribute to Social Security. The return of those contributions in the United States is something that affects the number of Indian workers," Shringla said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described as "outstanding" his first bilateral meeting in the Oval Office with US President Joe Biden.

The Prime Minister and his counterparts -- Scott Morrison of Australia and Japan's Yoshihide Suga -- also attended the meeting of Quad leaders hosted by US President Biden in the US capital on Friday (local time).

US federal judge had earlier turned down Trump-era changes to H-1B visa rules that were to deter US companies from replacing American workers with cheaper foreign labour.

The rules were applied to tech industry workers as well as doctors, accountants, professors, scientists and architects.