The way forward for India Triggering point:

■ Trump’ statement that  migration from countries he described as “third world” would be permanently paused, following a shooting incident near the White House.

■ Directs the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to conduct a full-scale review of every green card issued to permanent residents from 19 countries which include Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Libya and others.

India’s reaction:

■ Though India is not among the 19 countries mentioned, the President’s repeated use of the term “third world countries” has caused  among the Indian diaspora.

■ A  Former Indian ambassador to the United States opined that Trump’s remarks reflect a mindset that looks down on formerly colonized nations now rising as major economies.

In a dramatic policy shift following a shooting incident near the White House carried out by an Afghan-origin U.S. Army veteran, President Donald Trump has declared what he calls a “permanent pause” on migration from countries he described as “third world.” Speaking hours after the incident, Trump said his administration would work to halt immigration from nations that do not represent a “net asset” to the United States and would aggressively enforce the “public charge” rule to deny federal benefits to non-citizens.

He further directed the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to conduct an immediate, full-scale review of every green card issued to permanent residents from 19 “countries of concern,” including Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Libya and others. USCIS officers have been empowered to treat an applicant’s country of origin as a “strong adverse factor” when adjudicating immigration benefits. The administration is also moving to tighten the legal definition of “public charge,” a change that could render millions of lawful immigrants and green card holders ineligible for healthcare, housing and food assistance.

India not on the list, but “chilling effect” fear

India is not among the 19 countries facing urgent green-card revocation reviews, and Indian nationals remain the largest cohort of high-skilled legal immigrants to the United States. However, the President’s repeated use of the outdated and widely criticized term “third world countries” has triggered alarm among the Indian diaspora. A Former Indian ambassador to the United States however dismissed the policy’s direct impact on India but criticized the language

She opined that the term ‘third world’ is completely outdated and that nobody had used it in the United Nations for decades. She said that it reflects a mindset that still looks down on formerly colonized nations now rising as major economies and added that President Trump’s options are constrained by U.S. courts and the rule of law, especially with regard to existing lawful permanent residents.

MAGA base and rising anti-Indian sentiment

Several observers pointed to a surge in openly anti-Indian and anti-immigrant rhetoric within the MAGA ecosystem on X (formerly Twitter). Posts calling India a “third world” nation, mocking cultural practices, and labelling H-1B visa holders as “fraudulent” have been amplified by prominent MAGA influencers and, in some cases, endorsed or reposted by Elon Musk. A newspaper editor warned that while the current focus is on Afghanistan and the 19 listed countries, the narrative is rapidly expanding.

Another editor of a news channel however offered a sharply different perspective, questioning the underlying desire of India’s most talented citizens to permanently settle abroad. He questioned the efficiency of institution-building in India if the cream of our country still wants to live in another nation-state 75 years after independence. 

He further argued, saying that instead of endlessly debating what Americans think of us, we should ask why we still crave Western validation and why we have not built world-class universities and research ecosystems that can retain our best minds. He also opined that genuine great-power status requires massive investment in tertiary education and scientific research, not just technology institutes.

Broader implications for India–U.S. ties

While most analysts agreed the measures will not immediately disrupt high-skilled Indian migration or the H-1B program (which President Trump has previously conceded is irreplaceable), the consensus was that the rhetoric itself is damaging. Geopolitical experts urged India to accelerate domestic reforms — improving universities, boosting R&D spending, and creating opportunities that make staying in India as attractive as moving abroad — while continuing pragmatic engagement with Washington on trade, defense and technology.

As one participant put it: “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family) is a beautiful idea, but it only works when the other side is generous-hearted. The current MAGA-dominated United States is not. With President Trump’s new directives now in motion and anti-immigrant sentiment running high in parts of the American right, the coming months will reveal whether the world’s most important bilateral relationship can remain insulated from America’s increasingly polarized domestic politics.