Zoho founder and chief scientist Sridhar Vembu has weighed in on the discussion surrounding anti-India sentiment in the United States, stating that India's true global respect will only come from its own economic development and the harnessing of its people's talents.
Vembu's comments, shared on X (formerly Twitter) on October 23, 2026, were a direct response to American mathematician Eric Weinstein, who had flagged growing hostility towards Indians, Hindus, and Indian Americans in the US. Vembu emphasized that India's progress should not be contingent on the political climate or ideologies prevailing elsewhere in the world.
"Until India develops, based on the talents of our own people, we will not find true respect in the world, no matter whether right, left or centre is in charge anywhere. The racist shows us a mirror and asks: 'If your nation is smart, why do you want to come here.' I do not hate him, I want to respond by building," Vembu wrote.
He urged a focus on building Indian companies and strengthening the national economy, reiterating that the urgent national priority is to "build, build and build."
Context: Anti-India Sentiment and H-1B Visa Scrutiny
The discussion gained prominence amid increasing scrutiny of Indian professionals in the US tech sector. Eric Weinstein had publicly addressed the growing hostility, urging those who harbored such sentiments to unfollow him.
This backdrop includes tighter H-1B visa restrictions, which have impacted tech hiring, housing demand, and local economies reliant on international talent. US Vice President JD Vance has been a vocal critic of the H-1B visa system.
JD Vance's Controversial Comments on H-1B Workers
Vance announced the suspension of major tech and IT companies from the Permanent Labour Certification (PERM) green card program, accusing firms like Microsoft of exploiting the H-1B system. He claimed these companies use the visas to replace American workers with lower-paid foreign employees, whom he controversially described as "indentured servants."
Vance asserted that foreign professionals on H-1B visas earn significantly less than US citizens in similar roles, citing an average difference of $20,000, and up to $48,000 less if brought in by foreign outsourcing firms. "You bring in indentured servants from outside the country, you lay off American workers and, if you're a corporation, you make a ton of money by undercutting the wages of American workers," Vance stated.
Industry and Government Pushback
Tech companies and the Indian government quickly refuted Vance's claims.
- Microsoft: The company stated that 80% of its H-1B applications in the last fiscal year were for extending or changing the status of existing employees. Microsoft maintained that it pays H-1B employees comparable wages to local workers in similar roles, emphasizing that their compensation is among the highest in the tech sector.
- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) & Wipro: Both Indian IT giants indicated that the green card freeze would not materially affect their ongoing client work or core hiring. Wipro highlighted that over 80% of its US workforce is locally hired as part of a long-term localization strategy.
India Slams Vance's Remarks
India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly rejected Vance's "indentured servants" comment, calling it "unwarranted and deeply offensive."
"We believe that such descriptions are unwarranted and ignore the fact that Indian professionals in the United States are highly educated and skilled contributors to its economy and innovation ecosystem," the MEA stated.
The MEA further noted that using terminology with "painful historical and colonial legacy connotations is deeply offensive," reminding that the US itself has been shaped by generations of immigrants who contributed to its growth and prosperity.