The irony...thanks to NonnyMouse for the tip.

LA Times: (reg. req'd.)

India has taken thousands of American jobs through outsourcing. Now it's giving a few back.

The Indian government plans to outsource processing of visas (visitor documents, not the credit cards) from its embassy in Washington to a U.S.-based company.

A top embassy official wouldn't say whether the 40 staffers who do the jobs now would be laid off. Many of them are Indian nationals.

"We are not going to let too many go," said Gautam Bambawale, head of political affairs at the embassy.

UC Berkeley professor Harley Shaiken, who specializes in labor issues, said the move "is really a man bites dog kind of story. It's a small irony in an otherwise serious situation."

He said outsourcing of technology help desks, accounting work and even medical procedures played a significant role in the $11.7-billion U.S. trade deficit with India last year.