If India plays its cards right, suspension of PERM may be an opportunity: Priyank Kharge

Karnataka’s IT-BT Minister discusses the potential implications of the suspension, the State’s AI skilling roadmap, its approach to sustainable data centres and plans to build a deep-tech ecosystem focused on solving real-world problems.

Updated - October 10, 2026 06:00 pm IST - Bengaluru

IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge. File photo. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

The US government has suspended eight major technology companies, including Infosys, TCS, Wipro and HCLTech, from the Permanent Labour Certification (PERM) programme, a key pathway for employer-sponsored green cards. The move could make future employment prospects uncertain for Indian tech workers and raise costs for Indian companies.

IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge, however, sees an opportunity to attract investments by strengthening the State’s talent pool.

In an interview with The Hindu, he discusses the potential implications of the suspension, the State’s AI skilling roadmap, its approach to sustainable data centres and plans to build a deep-tech ecosystem focused on solving real-world problems.

Photo credit: The Hindu What are the implications of the PERM certification changes for Indian tech workers and companies? 

Photo credit: The Hindu It makes the prospects for future applicants uncertain. This could increase costs for Indian companies. Attrition could also become a concern, depending on the sector. 

However, if India plays its cards right and sends the right signals, investments will come to the talent rather than talent having to move to where investments are. Bengaluru is a magnet because investments are concentrated here, drawing talent from across Karnataka and India. 

Photo credit: The HinduBut is there enough AI talent to cater to the high-value jobs that may come to India? 

Photo credit: The Hindu Bengaluru is number five globally in AI skillsets as an ecosystem. And we are improving constantly. Whether it is AI across sectors or any other frontier technology, we are up for it. 

And as a government, we have been talking to everybody — Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Sarvam... We are ready, we have the appetite, and we are bringing in the required policies.  

Photo credit: The HinduQ: What is Karnataka’s AI roadmap? 

Photo credit: The Hindu We want to have a strong foundation of skills, and that will only come through heavy STEM education and filling the gaps in higher education. Because the courses don’t match the industry standard.