New Delhi, Apr 23 (PTI) India is studying the executive order signed by US President Donald Trump to temporarily halt immigration for 60 days, government sources said on Thursday, noting that people-to-people contact has been the "bedrock" of strategic ties between the two countries.
On Wednesday, the US President signed the order temporarily stopping foreigners from getting green cards and curbing immigration with an aim to protecting the jobs of Americans in an economy battered by the coronavirus pandemic.
"We have taken note of the order. We are are studying it. It doesn't cover non-immigrant visas and these programmes have benefited the economies of both countries," said a source.
"People to people contact has been the bedrock of ties between the two countries and we hope it will continue to be so," the source said.
In the mean time, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo but it is not known whether the issue of the Trump administration's decision to temporarily halt immigration figured in the talks.
It is also not immediately known how many Indians may be impacted by the order.
The temporary suspension of immigration will affect those who are legally seeking entry into the United States for employment but it will not impact the ones who are already living in the country, the order said.
"In order to protect our great American workers I've just signed an executive order temporarily suspending immigration into the United States," Trump said Wednesday.
According to the order, people seeking entry into the US to work as physicians and nurses and investors will get exemptions from the restrictions.
The White House, in a statement, described the move as a "temporary pause" demanded by the crisis being faced by the US in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
"The pause will be in effect for 60 days, and the administration will continue to monitor the labour market to amend or extend the proclamation if needed," it said.
India has been pressing the US to extend the validity of H1B and some other types of visas to in wake of reports of some Indians losing jobs in the country following the slide in the US economy triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.
