The Trump administration plans to impose a 5% tax on outward remittances from Indians in the US, totaling an estimated annual outgo of over $1.6 billion.
The proposed tax would apply to more than 40 million people, excluding US citizens, including those with green cards and H1B visas.
India's remittances have significantly increased from $55.6 billion in 2010-11 to $18.7 billion in 2023-24, with a shift towards advanced economies like the US, UK, and others.
The cost of remittance transactions involves fees and exchange rate conversions, impacting socio-economics. India has been the top recipient of remittances, with $129 billion inflow in 2024.