Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has highlighted the crucial role played by 15 Indian engineers in fortifying Microsoft’s engineering foundation, a remark that has resurfaced online amid mounting controversy over the U. S. government’s newly imposed $100,000 H-1B visa fee. The clip, drawn from a 2024 speech in Delhi, is being wielded by critics of the visa overhaul as evidence of the value foreign talent has added to America’s tech sector.
Trump’s administration has mandated that companies seeking fresh H-1B visas pay $100,000 per petition — a steep jump from prior administrative charges — a move intended to curb perceived abuses of the program. The policy is slated to affect new applicants from 2026, and according to clarifications from the White House, does not apply to existing visa holders.
The video shows Gates stating that at a formative phase of Microsoft’s growth, he brought in a cadre of Indian engineers — many from IIT — who helped the firm scale up its engineering capabilities. That strategic decision, he suggested, laid a foundation for the company’s expansion. The footage is resonating widely on social platforms as critics clash over the wisdom of the new visa regime.
Industry analysts say the Gates endorsement is timely. The visa reform has rattled global tech firms, especially in India, whose nationals account for more than 70 per cent of H-1B beneficiaries. In Mumbai, the Nifty IT index slumped 3 per cent following the announcement, hitting major firms such as Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys and Wipro.
Voices in India have responded sharply. The commerce minister accused the U. S. of being “afraid of our talent,” arguing that imposing such prohibitive costs signals distrust of Indian professionals. Meanwhile, IIT-Madras’s director described the development as a “blessing in disguise,” asserting that more talent could stay in India and fuel domestic innovation.
Scholars caution that the fee hike risks deterring top-tier candidates, particularly from premier engineering institutes like IIT, from engaging in U. S. startups. One Yale academic termed the measure “counterproductive,” warning it could shift the innovation centre of gravity away from the U. S.
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