External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Thursday highlighted the growing importance of a global workforce, speaking just days after the US administration introduced major changes to the H-1B visa system.

He said the reality of a global workforce cannot be ignored and called for a model that is fair, modern, and efficient.

"This is a reality. You cannot run away from this reality. So how do we create a more acceptable, contemporary, efficient model of a global workforce, which is then located in a distributed, global workplace? I think this is a very big question today which the international economy has to address," Jaishankar said, addressing an event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.

His remarks come at a time when the Trump administration has revised the H-1B visa system, changes that are likely to affect Indian professionals the most.

The visa fee for applications above $100,000 has been raised from $1,700 to over $8,000, and the lottery system has been adjusted to favour higher-paid applications. Indians currently make up more than 71 per cent of H-1B beneficiaries, making them the most impacted group.

While he did not directly mention the US visa changes, Jaishankar emphasised the larger role of a global workforce in today’s world.

"Where that global workforce is to be housed and located may be a matter of a political debate. But there's no getting away. If you look at demand and you look at demographics, demands cannot be met in many countries purely out of national demographics," he said.

Speaking amid ongoing trade discussions between India and the US, Jaishankar also said that trade challenges can eventually be resolved and that trading is "easier today" thanks to both physical and digital connectivity.

"So, for all the obstacles and complications that may arise, I also think they will be countered in some ways or mitigated in some ways by what will happen in the great domain," he said. His remarks came weeks after US President Donald Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India, half of them as penalties for oil trade with Russia.

Jaishankar also underlined the need for nations to build self-reliance in today’s turbulent global environment. He said countries must develop capacities to stand on their own and face global challenges.