Donald Trump favouring Pakistan over India? US student visa data suggests so, check details
For years, the US has been the go-to study destination for Indians. In fact, more than 3.3 lakh Indians were studying in American universities in 2023-2024, making them the biggest group of international students in the US. Read on to know more on this.
US President Donald Trump.
Since Donald Trump returned to the White House this January, the US foreign policy seems to be leaning more towards Pakistan than India. But this “favoritism” isn’t just limited to trade. Now, Indian students are feeling the heat as well. For years, the US has been the go-to study destination for Indians. In fact, more than 3.3 lakh Indian students were studying in American universities in 2023-24, making them the biggest group of international students in the US. But with Trump’s policies in place, it’s getting a lot harder for Indian students. In July, the US State Department made it mandatory for all student and exchange visa applicants to share their social media accounts for checks, bringing in yet another hurdle to an already tough process. Add to that a sharp drop in F1 visa approvals, and the situation looks quite grim.
How do India-Pak student visa data compare?
Between October 2023 and September 2024, the US handed out 86,067 F1 student visas to Indians. That is a massive 34 percent drop compared to the year before. And things are not getting any better. In the first five months of 2025 the number fell again, plummeting 29 percent as only 11,484 visas were cleared compared to 16,105 during the same period last year. Pakistan, on the other hand, saw a massive 28 percent jump in student visas, and China barely felt the pinch with just an 8 percent dip.
What’s behind Trump favouring Pakistan over India?
This comes even as the Trump administration has slapped much higher tariffs on India than on Pakistan. India was first levied a 25 percent tariff, which was soon hiked to a whopping 50 percent, while Pakistan only got hit with a 19 percent tariff. That’s a pretty clear gap, pointing to a friendlier US approach towards Pakistan, likely because of its strategic position in the region and influence in both South Asia and the Middle East.
