20% of foreign students in the US come from India: Top US diplomat

Highlighting the presence of a large Indian diaspora in America, Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in India, Patricia Lacina on Thursday said Indians comprise nearly 20 per cent of all international students in the United States.

She further added that the figure will continue to increase in the coming years. Notably, the US issued a record-breaking 82,000 student visas to Indians between May and June this year. The number was far higher than in any other country in the world.

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Referring to the large number of student visas issued to Indians, Patricia Lacina called it a remarkable rebound after previous delays due to the COVID pandemic.

"Indians comprise nearly 20 per cent of all international students in the United States, a figure that is projected to surge in the coming years. This number inspires me for several reasons. On the economic front, a thriving, well-educated workforce will bolster both our economies," she said at the US Study Abroad Fair.

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Patricia called the influx of Indian students to America an opportunity for both nations. According to her, the innovations unlocked by the talented pool of Indians in America will create more jobs and opportunities for both countries. This will ultimately result in increased security and prosperity for both India and the USA.

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“Many members of that diaspora began their journey by coming to the United States to study. International student mobility is central to US diplomacy and fundamental in maintaining an atmosphere of continued security, innovation, and economic prosperity,” she added.

Patricia further stressed upon uncountable benefits of international education and said that there is no better way of getting new exposure, enjoying new experiences, and building expertise. She also regarded the USA as the best destination for foreign education. The USA provides immense diversity and inclusivity for its students across all its campuses, she added.

"This figure also reflects the importance that the United States places on education. Our embassy in New Delhi and our consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai made processing student visas a top priority to ensure that qualified students could reach the United States in time to begin their higher studies.

The Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in India also told how the USA had also worked to provide a conducive environment to its students across the world even during the COVID pandemic. Schools have instituted a broad range of safety measures to welcome students from abroad. Most of them had opted for optimum flexibility to allow for in-person, online, and hybrid learning mechanisms.

Notably, Patricia A Lacina is the fourth Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in India since the completion of the tenure of previous US envoy, Kenneth Juster in January 2021. After that, the position has been held by four interim envoys, officially known as Chargé d'Affaires.

(With inputs from PTI)