From stealing jobs to nepotism by Indian tech leaders towards their community are some of the allegations now being actively spread through social media messages. If this continues, then big tech firms may have to force Indian-origin leaders to step down, replacing them with native Americans — says a tech leader, who is working with a mid-tier IT firm in US

Right-wing rhetoric in US:

• Many global tech giants headed by Indian-origin CEOs
• Concerted campaign against Indians by MAGA base
• Indian tech CEOs may lose jobs if such perception not contained
• Election setback may force Trump supporters to change track

Bengaluru: Rising anti-Indian sentiment in the US may cost jobs of top Indian origin leaders of technology industry in the US if such perception is not contained. According to industry experts, tech industry professionals including the CEOs are seen as people, who have taken away jobs from Americans. Their large contribution to American society is being ignored as rhetorics by Trump’s MAGA base gets shriller.

“Large sections of President Trump’s MAGA support base have a distorted view about Indians. From stealing jobs to nepotism by Indian tech leaders towards their community are some of the allegations now being actively spread through social media messages.

Such posturing has tacit backing of right wing MAGA (Make America Great Again) base. If this continues, then big tech firms may have to force Indian-origin leaders to step down, replacing them with native Americans,” said a tech leader, who is working with a mid-tier IT firm in the US.

According to sources in the know, things are turning uglier as the campaign is getting politically motivated. Most of the Indian-origin CEOs in technology sector seems to be on the firing line of the MAGA base now.

Currently, many prominent US technology firms are headed by India-origin CEOs. From Sundar Pichai of Google to Satya Nadella of Microsoft; several global giants are now headed by India-origin CEOs. Most of the Indian origin CEOs of American tech firms have been the product of H-1B visa programme, on which Trump administration has put several restrictions recently.

The US has not only imposed a prohibitive fee of $100,000 for new H-1B visa holders but also visa approval rates have plunged in recent months. Student visa restrictions are also being actively pursued to check inflow of Indian students to the US.

“A perception is being created through social media campaigning that Indian technology professionals are pursuing nepotism and bringing in more community people to the US through favouritism. Also, racial hatred through cultural differences is getting fanned by right wing supporters,” said a source.

However, many feel that the campaign against Indians may reduce in the coming quarters as Democrats won key governors’ race in New Jersey, & Virginia. Also, the win of Zohran Mamdani as Mayor-elect of New York city is likely to force policy change among Republican supporters in the coming days.

Meanwhile, more enterprises are shifting higher workload to India as free movement of technology professionals to the US gets restricted.