Pradeep Banerjee

US OPT Fee Proposal Moves Closer to Reality A potentially dramatic change is moving through the U.S. immigration rulemaking system—and Indian students are watching closely. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has been developing a proposal that could introduce a new fee for Optional Practical Training (OPT), the post-study work programme used by eligible international students on F-1 visas. The proposal has now completed review by the White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). But there is a very important line between “moving closer” and “becoming law.” The proposed fee is not currently payable. And despite widespread reporting about a possible $100,000 charge, the official regulatory record does not yet confirm that amount. The OIRA record identifies the proposal as “Optional Practical Training Fees”, submitted by ICE on August 20 and reviewed on September 11, but it does not disclose the proposed fee amount or who would be responsible for paying it. For Indian students, that distinction is critical. What exactly is OPT? Optional Practical Training allows eligible F-1 international students to obtain temporary employment authorisation for work directly related to their field of study. A student generally may receive

From Civil Engineering Graduates to a $20 Million AI Legacy: The Sinha Couple’s Bet on America’s Next Generation When Anuradha and Vikas Sinha left India after completing their engineering education, there was no obvious indication that decades later their names would be attached to a major American academic institution devoted to artificial intelligence. Today, there is. The Indian-origin couple has committed US$20 million to the University of North Texas (UNT) to create the Anuradha and Vikas Sinha College of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics. The new college will bring together education and research in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, advanced analytics, health informatics and other information-related disciplines. It is an unusually large philanthropic investment in a field that is rapidly becoming central to almost every part of the economy. But the most interesting part of this story isn’t the $20 million. It is where the money came from, where it is going, and why the couple chose education. A journey that began with engineering in India Anuradha and Vikas Sinha both earned bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering from Sri Venkateswara University in India before moving to the United States for further education. Both subsequently earned graduate degrees from Florida Atlantic

What the Latest Action Means for Indians Canada’s campaign against organized crime and extortion has entered a significant new phase, with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) confirming that 111 individuals have been removed from the country as part of an enforcement effort targeting foreign nationals linked to extortion and organized criminal activity. As of September 3, the agency had issued 188 removal orders under the initiative. The latest update, released September 14, also detailed four recent cases involving foreign nationals of Indian origin: Palwinder Singh, Jasmer Singh, Amitoz Bajwa and Sahibjot Singh. The figures are significant not simply because they involve Indian nationals. They reveal something larger about Canada’s approach to a growing public-safety problem: immigration enforcement is increasingly being used alongside police investigations to disrupt criminal networks. And for India’s large community in Canada, there is another important message. A person’s nationality should not become confused with the behaviour of a criminal network. That distinction matters. 111 removals—and 188 orders According to the CBSA, as of September 3, 188 removal orders had been issued on various inadmissibility grounds and 111 people had actually been removed. The regional breakdown is revealing: Pacific Region: 91 removal orders, 58 removals Prairie

From the UAE to India: Know India Programme Opens a Two-Week Journey for Young Indian Diaspora Professionals For a young Indian-origin professional growing up or building a career in the United Arab Emirates, India can sometimes become an idea before it becomes a lived experience. There may be family stories, festivals, food, films, social media and frequent conversations about the country. But experiencing India as a rapidly changing economy, a technological power, a democratic system and a society balancing ancient traditions with modern ambitions is something else entirely. That is the idea behind the Know India Programme (KIP), a flagship initiative of India’s Ministry of External Affairs. And in October 2026, the programme is offering another small group of young members of the Indian diaspora an unusually concentrated introduction to contemporary India. The 90th edition of KIP will be held from 18 to 31 October 2026 and is specifically designed for the Young Professionals cohort, aged 24–28. The programme has been restructured so that Young Professionals and Scholars & Innovators have separate editions, with each edition limited to 25 participants. For Indian-origin youth in the UAE, that makes the opportunity particularly relevant. What Is the Know India Programme? KIP was

US Green Card Rules Change September 18: What Indian Applicants Need to Know About the New Public-Charge Test For thousands of Indians pursuing permanent residence in the United States, September 18, 2026 is an important date to remember. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is scheduled to implement a new public-charge rule that gives immigration officers broader discretion to examine an applicant’s overall circumstances when deciding whether the person is likely to become a public charge. At the same time, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is introducing a new edition of Form I-485, the principal application used by people inside the United States seeking adjustment of status to permanent residence. And there is no comfortable paperwork grace period. USCIS says that applications submitted on or after September 18 must use the 09/18/26 edition of Form I-485. Older editions submitted on or after that date will not be accepted. For Indian applicants—particularly those navigating the long employment-based green-card process—the change deserves careful attention. But it also deserves careful reporting. A headline suggesting that “using government benefits means your Green Card will be rejected” would be inaccurate. The new framework is broader and more discretionary than the 2022 rules, but the

Russian Oil, US Tariffs and India: Why Energy Security Is Becoming a Foreign-Policy Test For India, crude oil is never just a commodity. It is transportation, manufacturing, electricity, logistics, inflation and household economics — all rolled into one barrel. That is why the latest U.S. legislation targeting countries that continue buying Russian oil has created an unusually complicated problem for New Delhi. The U.S. Congress has approved legislation that would give the American president authority to impose additional tariffs of up to 100% on countries meeting specified conditions related to Russian oil and gas purchases. The House passed the measure on September 16, following Senate approval, and the legislation has been sent to President Donald Trump. That does not mean India has already been hit with a new 100% tariff. It means a potentially powerful tariff instrument now exists. And India is one of the countries most exposed to it. Why Russian oil matters so much to India India is the world’s third-largest crude oil importer and has substantially increased its purchases of Russian crude since the disruption of Russia’s traditional European markets following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Reuters reported that Russian crude represented 50.83% of India’s total crude

UK Immigration Rules Change on October 8 The United Kingdom is preparing for an important change in its relationship with European student mobility. From 8 October 2026, amendments to the UK Immigration Rules will create specific provisions for students participating in Erasmus+ programmes at participating UK sponsors. For Indian students, the development is worth watching—but perhaps not for the reasons suggested by some early descriptions of the change. The most important point is that the UK is not introducing a special Erasmus+ visa system for Indian students. Nor do the published rules create a new “mobility marker” on the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), an “Authorized Mobility Leave” category, or a blanket exemption from UK financial requirements. What is actually happening is more technical—and potentially useful. The changes are part of the UK’s preparation for its formal association with Erasmus+ from 2027, following the agreement between the UK and European Union. The programme is expected to reopen opportunities for UK learners and institutions to participate more fully in European educational mobility. For Indian students considering a UK education, that distinction matters. Britain Is Returning to Erasmus+ The UK and EU finalised arrangements in April 2026 for the UK to

Canada Visa Wait Times for Indians: Work 10 Weeks, Study 5 Weeks, Visitor Visa 29 Days For Indians planning to study, work or visit Canada, the latest visa-processing figures provide a useful snapshot of how long applications are currently taking. As of the latest September update, Indian applicants are facing estimated processing times of: Application Current estimated processing time Work permit 10 weeks Study permit 5 weeks Visitor visa 29 days The figures come from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), whose temporary-residence processing estimates are updated regularly. The latest data puts India’s work-permit wait at 10 weeks, unchanged from the previous update; the study-permit estimate remains at 5 weeks; while the visitor-visa estimate has improved from 31 to 29 days. For someone planning a Canadian university intake, starting a new job or booking a family holiday, those numbers are obviously more than statistics. They are calendar dates. And when an international journey involves university deadlines, flights, accommodation and employment start dates, calendars suddenly become very serious things. The current numbers in simple terms A 10-week work-permit estimate works out to approximately 70 days. A 5-week study-permit estimate is approximately 35 days. And a 29-day visitor-visa estimate is just under

iPhone 17 After the iPhone 18 Launch: Is the Older iPhone Now the Smarter Buy in India? The iPhone 18 generation has arrived—but if you are an Indian consumer looking for an iPhone today, the most interesting question may not be “Which new iPhone should I buy?” It may be: “Do I actually need the new one?” Apple’s September 2026 launch changed the company’s usual iPhone cycle. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max have arrived, alongside Apple’s new foldable iPhone Duo, while the standard iPhone 18 is being held for a later launch expected in spring 2027. That creates an unusual situation for buyers. The latest Pro models offer Apple’s newest technology, but they also come with premium pricing. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 remains a current model with a 6.3-inch ProMotion display, A19 chip, 48MP dual-camera system and Apple Intelligence support. So, in September 2026, should Indian buyers look backward before looking forward? The iPhone 18 launch created an unusual gap For years, Apple’s September launch effectively gave consumers a simple choice: buy the new iPhone or take advantage of lower prices on the previous generation. This year is different. Apple has split the iPhone launch cycle.

From Sriharikota to 36,000 Km Above Earth At 2:55 in the morning on September 4, 2026, while most of India was either asleep or negotiating with the snooze button, a 51.7-metre rocket rose from Sriharikota. The rocket was GSLV-F17, and its passenger was EOS-05, an Earth-observation satellite that represents a significant new capability for India’s space programme. But the most interesting part of this story is not simply that India launched another satellite. It is where EOS-05 is designed to operate and what that means for the way India can watch its own territory. The mission has also arrived at an interesting moment for India’s space programme. On one side, ISRO is demonstrating increasingly sophisticated space capabilities. On the other, India is deliberately bringing private companies deeper into the space economy. And suddenly, a question that sounds almost philosophical becomes very practical: Can India expand its space industry without making ISRO smaller? The answer, at least according to ISRO, is yes. The morning India put a new eye in the sky ISRO’s GSLV-F17 mission was the 19th flight of India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle. The rocket successfully injected the approximately 2,367-kg EOS-05 into a Sub-Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit after launch from