Page 12 - The Indian EYE 100926

OPINION OCTOBER 09, 2026 | The Indian Eye 12

FROM BRAIN DRAIN TO

BRAIN CIRCULATION

H-1B, AI, Skills and the Next 20 Years of the US-India Talent Partnership

H. S. PANASER*

or more than three decades,
one of India’s most consequen-
Ftial contributions to the United
States has travelled not through ports
or cargo terminals, but through peo-
ple: engineers, physicians, pharmaceu-
tical scientists, researchers, technol-
ogists, entrepreneurs, academics and
managers. Their work has strength- The transformation from brain drain to brain circulation cannot be accomplished by governments alone.
ened American companies and insti- It requires institutions capable of connecting government, business, technology, academia, research and the diaspora (File photo)
tutions while creating powerful links
back to India through knowledge, Others will build careers that operate If India can connect returning and
investment, entrepreneurship, pro- From Brain Drain to Brain across both countries. What matters is overseas professionals with its univer-
fessional networks and remittances. Circulation whether knowledge, capital, mentor- sities, MSMEs, research institutions,
In 2026, this relationship is en- The old vocabulary of “brain
tering a more uncertain phase. US drain” is no longer sufficient. India ship and opportunity can move even start-ups and state governments, tight-
when people do not.
er global mobility could unintentional-
visa procedures have become more has undeniably supplied large num- ly accelerate India’s movement up the
demanding in several categories. The bers of highly trained professionals India’s Opportunity—and Its value chain. But the objective should
US Department of State has expand- to advanced economies, but those Responsibility not be to celebrate professionals leav-
ed online-presence screening and professionals have not simply disap- A return or redirection of skilled ing America. It should be to create an
vetting that already applies to H-1B peared from India’s economic story. talent could become a major advan- ecosystem in which talent can contrib-
applicants and certain dependents. They have sent money home, invest- tage for India, but only if the country ute to India without having to sever its
That is significant, but it should not ed, mentored, founded companies, can absorb that expertise productively. global connections.
be confused with a blanket policy that opened markets, built research re- Fast growth alone is not enough. Ex-
H-1B visas will not be renewed. The lationships and created institutional perienced professionals need research The United States and the Value
more useful question is broader: what bridges. infrastructure, competitive career of Global Talent
happens if skilled mobility becomes The World Bank estimated that pathways, entrepreneurial capital, The United States has historically
slower, more uncertain or less attrac- India received about $129 billion in re- predictable regulation, strong intel- benefited from its ability to attract am-
tive over the coming decade? mittances in 2024, the largest total for lectual-property systems, globally con- bitious people from around the world.
That question matters to both any country. Remittances are only the nected universities and organizations Indian-origin professionals are deeply
countries. India may see more expe- most visible part of the contribution. willing to reward innovation. present in technology, medicine, aca-
rienced professionals return, establish The less measurable flows—knowl- India also faces a substantial skills demia, research, pharmaceuticals and
businesses, invest, teach or collab- edge, credibility, market access, man- challenge at home. In February 2026, entrepreneurship. If long-term path-
orate remotely. The United States, agement practice, scientific collabo- the World Bank approved support ways become harder or less predict-
meanwhile, must continue balancing ration and networks—may be equally for a major Indian skills initiative and able, employers may respond in dif-
immigration policy with the talent re- important over the long term. noted a persistent mismatch between ferent ways: develop more domestic
quirements of technology, medicine, The next phase should therefore what young people are trained for and talent, automate, distribute work in-
research, manufacturing and entre- be understood as Brain Drain → Brain what firms need. That gap is especially ternationally, expand global capability
preneurship. The result need not be Gain → Brain Circulation. Some pro- important as AI changes entry-level centers, or move selected research and
a zero-sum contest. It can become a fessionals will return permanently. work and increases demand for inter- operations closer to available skills.
new era of brain circulation. Some will remain in the United States. disciplinary capabilities. Continued on next page... >>

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