The United States has complained that its scholars were facing difficulties in coming to India and asked the government to ensure timely issuance of visas to them.
US Ambassador David C Mulford registered his 'grave concern' over the situation during an interaction on Wednesday with American Fulbright scholars studying in India.
The Ambassador expressed concern over the 'difficulties being experienced by American Fulbright scholars coming to India', a US Embassy spokesman said on Thursday.
Mulford said the US is having increasing difficulty in getting approval for its Fulbright scholars and pointed out that more than 50 American scholars have been waiting up to 11 months for their Indian visas, the spokesman said.
Expressing strong support for educational exchange programmes between the two countries, he, however, said that the bi-national scholars programme established by treaty with then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru expects clear support from its sponsor nations, including arrangements to ensure timely visas and appropriate financial support.
The Fulbright programme, America's prestigious academic exchange program operating in over 150 countries, has been a symbol of people-to-people exchanges between the US and India for over 50 years, the spokesman said.
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