The US move to reduce the number of H1B visas to 65,000 from 195,000 will affect the Indian information technology industry in the long run, Kiran Karnik, president of National Association of Software and Service Companies said on Friday.

"The IT industry is concerned. We have been having some discussions, the Indian embassy in the US has also been involved," he told PTI on the sidelines of a conference on distance learning.

"It's an issue that substantially affects the US industry. Therefore US associations and chambers are also taking it up (with the US government) because they have been the beneficiary," he added.

While Nasscom has not estimated the exact impact on the Indian industry or movement of professionals due to lower number of H1B visas, Karnik said, "It depends on what numbers finally come out. It's not going to have any immediate impact as these visas are extendable for three years. There are already people working with these visas in the US. They will continue to be there."

However, the new visas will get restricted. There could be an impact over a period of time, he said.

"We are quite actively engaged on this."

Union IT and Communications minister Arun Shourie said on Thursday in Parliament that India was discussing the issue with the US.