JPMorgan Sees India As ‘Bright Spot’ Despite Trump Tariff Woes

JPMorgan Chase & Co. sees India standing out as a “bright spot” in a challenging global economic landscape, thanks to its robust domestic growth and limited reliance on exports, according to Sjoerd Leenart, the bank’s top executive for Asia Pacific.

“Sure, it has its share of issues — the tariffs, now the H1B visa issues. But overall it has a strong hand to play,” Leenart said in an interview with Bloomberg Television in Mumbai, where it is holding its annual India conference. The Wall Street bank is confident India can get through the tariff issues, “and will land in a good place,” he said.

India has borne the brunt of policy changes by the US administration, with a 25% reciprocal levy on the country being doubled because of its purchases of Russian oil. Over the weekend, the country got a further shock after President Donald Trump signed an order to add a $100,000 entry fee for new H-1B visas, where Indians account for more than 70% of all such visas.

While it was too early to assess the full impact of the proposed H-1B visa changes, Leenart said it was a relief the fee doesn’t apply to existing H-1B visa holders.

Global technology companies and financial services firms are rapidly expanding their so-called global capability centers in India, drawn by the country’s deep talent pool and cost advantages. While Trump aims to protect US jobs by restricting immigrant inflows, the new rules could backfire and likely raise costs for American corporations pushing them to step up the expansion of these centers, tech executives said.