Investors are bracing for major impact a day after US suspended large IT firms from a key visa programme. (File photo)Investors are bracing for impact after the US announcement to suspend major Indian IT firms from a key programme that allows skilled foreign workers to gain permanent residency. Major tech and IT outsourcing firms hit by the Trump administration’s move include Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, Capgemini, Microsoft and Adobe. The move is a major blow for Indian professionals looking to work at some of these companies in the US.If you are just joining us, this is The Indian Express Realtime breaking news blog – where we bring you the latest news updates of the day in real time. Scan the top headlines of the day here, or keep scrolling to see the latest updates stream in.Counting for 5 assembly, 1 Lok Sabha seats today; big test for Vijay, Suvendu AdhikariFriday will see a high-stake contest as results will be declared for five Assembly seats and one Lok Sabha constituency across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry. The results from Nandigram and Rejinagar in West Bengal, Madurantakam and Dharapuram in Tamil Nadu, Thattanchavady in Puducherry and Assam’s Nagaon Lok Sabha seat will show how the BJP, Congress and regional parties have fared in these contests.Story continues below this adCentral forces called as Delhi braces for protestsAmid continuing protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Delhi police took a string of security measures — 23,000 Central forces personnel have been called to assist the city police, five all-women paramilitary companies will be on duty, liquor vends will be closed for two days and Central Delhi hotels have been asked to restrict room bookings. Opposition parties and civil society groups have called for a protest in capital on October 10.Live UpdatesOct 9, 2026 08:36 AM ISTTCS responds to US move, says workforce strategy in US anchored in hiring local talentTata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS) said on Friday said it does not expect the US suspension of the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) programme for IT companies to have any material impact on its workforce strategy or client engagements. In a statement on Friday, TCS said, "We have noted the announcement by the US Government on the Permanent Labour Certification Program (PERM) and TCS will comply with any directive from the Department of Labour. Our workforce strategy in the US is anchored in hiring local talent, supported by a robust campus recruitment model. We have built a significant local workforce across 31 offices and delivery centres throughout the country." "As we had announced earlier, we intend to hire an additional 15,000 people in the US over the next five years, to further augment our local workforce. Our PERM applications were in single digits in the last two years and hence we do not expect the suspension of the program to impact our workforce strategy and customer engagements," it added.Oct 9, 2026 08:28 AM ISTUS Suspends major tech farms, including Indian giants: Why it matters?The US government announced suspending several large Indian IT firms from the Permanent Labour Certification Programme, a key programme that allows skilled foreign workers to gain permanent residency. The administration has cited alleged fraud, and claimed that foreign workers got jobs in the US at the cost of American workers. The programme is a crucial stage in the process through which foreign workers, including H-1B visa holders, can obtain employment-based green cards. The move is significant for Indian tech firms because major Indian IT companies such as Infosys, Tata, Wipro and HCL have substantial operations in the US and employ workers through the country’s skilled-worker immigration system. Read more© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd