Financial influencer Akshat Shrivastava has stirred a conversation about India’s economic direction, saying it’s high time the country started focusing on building its global footprint. In a tweet, Shrivastava took a swipe at India’s biggest firms, pointing out their lack of international presence and products that can hold their own globally.
“It is high time India starts developing the ability to export stuff (except for talented humans). Let’s name five biggest firms in India: all sell to Indians (mostly), have close to zero global presence, and don’t even have one product that can compete globally,” Shrivastava wrote.
His comments came on the heels of US President Donald Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship, a move that could shut the door on automatic US citizenship for children born to non-citizen parents, including Indians on temporary visas.
The policy could hit the Indian-American community hard, with many families relying on the benefits of citizenship for their US-born children. Shrivastava didn’t mince words about the implications for Indian immigrants. “So far, the ticket for hardworking Indians for creating wealth was to migrate abroad. Even that door is shutting down fast,” he said.
Shrivastava also had sharp criticism for domestic firms, accusing them of leaning on taxpayer-funded cheap debt while failing to make their mark internationally. “Almost all get cheap debt, which is funded by taxpayers,” he said, calling for a shift in priorities to make Indian products shine on the global stage.
Trump’s executive order challenges the 14th Amendment’s long-standing principle of birthright citizenship. While legal experts anticipate court battles, the move has already sent ripples through immigrant communities, including Indians, who may now face even tougher hurdles in the US.
The Indian-American community, one of the fastest-growing immigrant populations in the U.S., would be profoundly affected by this policy shift. As of 2024, Indian Americans number over 5.4 million, accounting for 1.47% of the U.S. population. Roughly two-thirds are immigrants, while 34% are U.S.-born, according to official data.
If the policy takes effect, children born to Indian nationals on temporary work visas, like the H-1B, or those waiting for green cards, would no longer automatically acquire US citizenship. This change could impact hundreds of thousands of children born to Indian immigrants in the US each year.
