A viral social media post has reignited the ever-heated conversation around India’s brain drain and the United States’ H-1B visa program, claiming that America’s tech growth comes at the cost of India’s long-term development. The post states that the U.S. is “slowly killing India” by absorbing an overwhelming share of its skilled workforce—drawing mixed reactions online. Accompanied by a breakdown of H-1B approvals by nationality, the post reads:
“No wonder why China and Korea are developing so quickly and pretty much on par with Western nations while India is still far behind. At this point, India is just the breeding ground for the U.S., and once these talents are old enough, they will go to the U.S. anyway.
Here’s the H-1B distribution as cited:
- India: 70–75% (South Asian)
- China: 10–12% (East Asian)
- Canada: ~2% (Diverse)
- South Korea: ~1–2% (East Asian)
- Others (UK, Brazil, Mexico, Pakistan, etc.): 8–10% (Mixed).
With Indian professionals dominating the H-1B pool by a massive margin, the post claims that countries like China and South Korea are reaping the benefits of talent retention, while India continues to serve as a talent farm for the West—particularly the U.S. tech industry. But not everyone agreed.
“Indians are the ones slowly killing the US”
In a sharp reversal, several users fired back, claiming that the influx of Indian talent is hurting American workers instead. “Indians are the ones slowly killing the U.S. The last 25 years of decline directly aligns with Indians taking our high-paying jobs,” one user wrote. Another added, “Indians killed the culture in U.S. tech. Others pointed out the irony: “The U.S. isn’t begging for Indian engineers. It’s the other way around. Many Indians are desperate for H-1Bs and green cards, even when the U.S. keeps tightening the process.” “It’s not that simple”
Some commenters attempted to provide context, “A fraction of the population moves abroad and sends remittances back. Many return with experience and build startups. Brain drain is real, but India still lacks the infrastructure and support to retain them.” Another argued, “You can’t expect top-tier talent to stay in a place with weak R&D funding, red tape, and job insecurity. The U.S. offers what India doesn’t.” A different user added, “Imagine a country where even the prime minister publicly praises citizens who get jobs in the U.S. It’s not just the individual—it’s the system rooting for outflow.” The post has opened up questions about talent migration, national growth strategies, and the ethical questions around global workforce movement. Is the U.S. exploiting India’s top minds, or is India failing to build a system that can retain them? Is this symbiotic or parasitic? One user summed it up, “This isn’t about the U.S. or India. It’s about who builds an ecosystem that people want to stay and thrive in.”