The United States relies heavily on India’s vast STREM workforce—engineers, doctors, IT experts, and researchers—to sustain its tech leadership. Yet this dependence also fuels fears of losing strategic control as India’s own rise accelerates. ABC Live explains the paradox of why America both needs and fears India’s talent power.
New Delhi (ABC Live): For decades, the United States has led the world in science, technology, research, engineering, and medicine (STREM). But its ageing population, shrinking domestic STEM pipeline, and rising competition from China are threatening its edge. In this landscape, India’s STREM power—a vast pool of young engineers, IT professionals, doctors, and researchers—has become both an indispensable asset and a strategic vulnerability for Washington.
The paradox is clear: the U.S. needs Indian talent to sustain innovation, yet it also fears overdependence on India, which could shift the balance of technological power in Asia’s favour.
Why ABC Live is Publishing This Report Now
The U.S. has just proposed a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas (September 2025), a move that directly targets Indian professionals, who form over 70% of recipients. Simultaneously, debates on tech sovereignty, AI, and semiconductor supply chains are dominating Washington and Beijing alike.
At this critical moment, India’s role as the world’s youngest and largest STREM workforce is no longer a side story—it is central to global power equations. ABC Live is publishing this report now to provide data-driven clarity on why America both needs and fears India’s professional strength.
Why the US Needs India’s STREM Power
1. Workforce Gaps
- Median age in the US: ~39 years; declining STEM graduate output.
- India: Produces 1.5 million engineers annually; dominates U.S. H-1B visas (73% of approvals in FY2023).
Indian engineers and IT professionals are the backbone of Silicon Valley’s tech ecosystem.
2. Healthcare and Medicine
- US physician shortage: Projected shortfall of 37,000–124,000 doctors by 2034 (AAMC report).
- Indian-origin doctors already account for 17% of all international medical graduates in the US, many serving rural and underserved communities.
3. Innovation & Research
- US universities: Nearly 200,000 Indian students were enrolled in STEM in 2024–25 (IIE Open Doors).
- Many transition into research and advanced tech sectors (AI, biotech, clean energy), filling critical gaps in U.S. labs and start-ups.
4. Corporate Leadership
- Indian-origin CEOs head Google, Microsoft, Adobe, and IBM—companies that symbolize America’s tech dominance globally.
Data Analysis: India vs. US in STREM Power
| Indicator (2024–25) | India | United States | What It Shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | ~1.44 billion | ~339 million | India has 4× the population; demographic depth ensures long-term talent supply (UN DESA). |
| Median Age | 28.4 years | 38.9 years | India’s workforce is much younger; the US faces ageing concerns. |
| Engineering Graduates (annual) | ~1.5–1.6 million (AICTE) | ~120,000 | India produces ~12× more engineers annually. |
| Medical Graduates (annual) | ~80,000 doctors; ~50,000 nurses | ~28,000 doctors; ~70,000 nurses | India is already the largest supplier of foreign-trained doctors to the US. |
| STEM Doctorates (annual) | ~40,000 PhDs; ~60% in STEM fields | ~45,000 PhDs; ~70% in STEM (NSF) | US leads in quality, India in volume; many Indian PhDs migrate to US labs. |
| International Students in US | ~200,000 Indians (majority in STEM) | — | Indian students are the second largest group after the Chinese. |
| Research Output | ~300,000+ papers annually; world’s 3rd largest | ~500,000+ papers annually | US leads in citations/quality, and India is catching up in scale. |
| Patent Applications (2023) | ~61,000 (WIPO) | ~620,000 | US still 10× ahead, but India’s trajectory is rising. |
| Tech CEOs of Global Giants | Sundar Pichai (Google), Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Arvind Krishna (IBM), Shantanu Narayen (Adobe) | Based in the US but led by Indians | Symbol of India’s embedded influence in US tech dominance. |
Why the US Fears India’s STREM Power
- Tech Sovereignty Concerns: Overdependence on Indian professionals in AI, semiconductors, and cybersecurity risks U.S. autonomy.
- Strategic Rivalry with China: If India scales its own AI, quantum, or chip sectors, it could form a third pole in global tech.
- Policy Backlash: The proposed $100,000 H-1B fee (2025) signals rising political pressure to curb Indian inflows.
- Knowledge Spillovers: Indian professionals in U.S. labs bring back patents, skills, and capital to India’s tech hubs.
The Balancing Act: Need vs. Control
The U.S. walks a tightrope:
- It needs India’s STREM professionals to maintain its global lead.
- But it also seeks to control India’s rise through visa barriers, export controls, and selective partnerships like the CHIPS Act.
Policy Outlook
- Short-term: Attract talent but increase visa fees/quotas to manage politics.
- Medium-term: Expand India–US tech cooperation in semiconductors, AI, and clean energy under iCET.
- Long-term: The U.S. cannot stop India’s rise—only co-opt it through alliances like the Quad.
Conclusion
India’s STREM power is both a pillar of U.S. tech superiority and a potential challenger. The more Washington depends on Indian professionals, the more it accelerates India’s own rise as a technology power.
This paradox defines the 21st-century geopolitics of talent: the U.S. cannot maintain supremacy without India—yet it cannot feel secure while India grows stronger.
How This Report is Unique
Mainstream coverage often portrays Indian migration as a remittance-driven phenomenon or a form of brain drain. ABC Live instead frames it as a geopolitical lever—the soft power of talent.
What makes this report unique:
- Data-first approach: Comparative tables on engineers, doctors, patents, and median age.
- Strategic framing: Explains not only the flows of professionals but also how they alter global power balances.
- Editorial voice: Links policy shocks like the H-1B fee to broader questions of US dependency and India’s rise.
- This is the kind of research journalism ABC Live delivers—connecting people, data, and power.
Sources
- USCIS / Pew Research Centre — Indian H-1B Approvals
- Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) — Physician Workforce Projections 2021–2034
- Institute of International Education (IIE) — Open Doors Report 2024: International Students by Place of Origin
- World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) — Patent Applications 2023 Statistics
- World Bank Data — Research & Development Expenditure (% of GDP)
- United Nations DESA — World Population Prospects 2024 Data Portal
- NASSCOM — India’s Tech Talent Outlook 2023–24
- AICTE Approval Process Handbook 2023–24 — Engineering Institutions Intake
- NSF NCSES — Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2023
- Google Leadership — Sundar Pichai Profile
- Microsoft Leadership — Satya Nadella Profile
- IBM Leadership — Arvind Krishna Profile
- Adobe Leadership — Shantanu Narayen Profile
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