India Condemns Vance Over Indentured Servants Remark

India has formally protested US Vice President JD Vance's characterization of foreign workers as indentured servants, calling the language deeply offensive on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. The diplomatic dispute followed a US Labor Department move targeting major technology companies that sponsor green cards for workers holding H-1B visas.

India's Ministry of External Affairs said the remarks disregarded the qualifications and economic contributions of Indian professionals working in the United States. The ministry also raised concerns about language associated with the country's colonial past, according to CNBC.

The ministry described Vance's reference to foreign workers as inappropriate and emphasized their role in the US economy and technology sector.

"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," India's Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Vance made his remarks Thursday while announcing a Labor Department action that would bar Microsoft, Adobe and several major Indian information technology companies from a program allowing employers to sponsor green cards for workers on H-1B visas. The affected companies include Infosys, Wipro, TCS, Cognizant, Capgemini and HCL.

In explaining the administration's position, Vance argued that employers should prioritize American workers for jobs that could otherwise be filled by foreign employees.

"stop importing an indentured servant to do a job that an American worker would happily do," Vance said.

The phrase carries particular historical significance in India, where indentured labor is associated with the colonial-era system that sent workers overseas under exploitative conditions, often to plantations, Bloomberg reported.

The dispute also comes as Indian professionals account for a substantial share of the US H-1B workforce. According to CNBC, approximately 70% of H-1B beneficiaries last year were born in India, highlighting the importance of the visa program to Indian workers and the technology industry.

India's government stressed that the suspension would not affect existing H-1B visa holders or their families. It also defended international movement of skilled workers as mutually beneficial to both countries.

In describing that position, the government emphasized the economic value of cross-border professional exchanges.

India argued that cross-border "talent mobility" benefits both sides.

The National Association of Software and Service Companies, known as Nasscom, has said Indian technology companies have substantially reduced their dependence on H-1B visas in recent years while expanding hiring within the United States. The industry's position underscores its continued presence in the American market despite the proposed restrictions.