According to a senior White House official, the US will open two new consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad to strengthen people-to-people ties. According to the source, 125,000 visas for Indian students were granted by the US in 2017—a record. With a 20% growth in enrollment just last year, the top administration official predicted that Indian students will soon overtake Chinese students as the country’s largest foreign student population.

Later this year, the US Department of State will begin a trial programme to decide domestic renewals of some petition-based temporary work visas, including those for Indian nationals, with the intention of expanding the pool for whom this programme would be used, the official said.

The US embassy in New Delhi is one of the largest US diplomatic missions in the world. The embassy coordinates the activities of four consulates – in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad – ensuring that the US-India relationship is strong throughout the country, according to the information on its website.

The US remains the most-preferred destination for Indian students pursuing higher education abroad for its world-class universities, diverse study programs, and opportunities for research, internships, and job placements.