'Will PM speak on H-1B visa, tariffs?’: Congress targets Modi ahead of address to nation

AHead up of ground government minister Narendra Modi's call to the carry amelia moore nation at 5pm, the Congress on Sunday asked whether he would address concerns over US President Donald Trump's move to hike H-1B visa fee, his trade tariffs on India and his claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Follow PM Modi's address live updates.In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at the prime minister asking whether he would repeat what is already known on the new GST rates in his address."As the PM prepares to address the nation, his good friend in Washington DC has once again stolen his thunder and claimed – for the 42nd time – that he stopped Operation Sindoor by using increased trade with America as leverage," Ramesh wrote on X.He added that Trump made these claims not only at home in the USA, but also during his trips to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UK."Will the PM address these claims and speak of the increasingly fraught Indo-US relationship? Will he address the concerns of lakhs of Indian H1B holders? Will he provide some assurances to the crores of farmers and workers who stand to lose their livelihood due to his good friend's tariffs? Or will he just repeat what we all know on the new GST rates - worked out under desperation and which become effective tomorrow?" the Congress leader said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 5 pm, according to his office. His office gave no indication of the subject of his address in the evening.Modi's address comes a day before the GST rate cut, announced by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman earlier, goes into effect. The move would lower the prices of many products.Trump's H-1B visa move and ceasefire claims Earlier on Friday, President Trump suddenly ordered a steep hike in the annual H-1B non-immigrant visa fee to $100,000.The announcement triggered panic on Saturday, with many foreign workers rushing back to the US as companies issued advisories ahead of the September 21 deadline.The Trump administration, however, later clarified that the new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas is a one-time payment applicable only to new petitions and does not apply to current visa holders.Trump's move to hike H-1B visa fees comes amid a downturn in the bilateral relationship between India and the United States. The US had imposed a 25% reciprocal tariff that took effect August 7, followed by an additional 25% levy as a penalty for Russian oil purchases that kicked in August 27, bringing the total rate to 50%.Besides that, Trump has also been repeating his claim that he brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during a conflict in May. He has also been asserting that he should get the Nobel Peace Prize for "ending seven wars".India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7 and struck terror and military installations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir over four days following the April 22 Pahalgam terror strike in which 26 people were killed. Between the launch of the operation and the ceasefire on May 10 evening, Indian forces bombed nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK, killing at least 100 terrorists, and struck targets at 13 Pakistani airbases and military installations.India, on multiple occasion, has clarified that there were no discussions on US mediation to end the hostilities, which stopped at Pakistan’s request after an understanding was reached by Indian and Pakistani militaries through existing channels.Prime Minister Modi has also made clear that India had not accepted any mediation by a third party in the past or present and would not do so in future.