WASHINGTON: Finally, former Los Angeles Mayor and Democratic Party operative Eric Garcetti has been appointed US ambassador to India by Washington. After the Senate voted 52-42 to confirm him, he should be arriving at Roosevelt House, the residence of the US envoy in New Delhi, in a matter of days.
Also, it's about time because the United States has not had an ambassador in New Delhi in more than two years, since Kenneth Juster left on January 20, 2021, when the White House had a change of guard. This is the longest period of time that New Delhi has not had a US ambassador.
At the point when Thomas Pickering was moved to Moscow in Walk 1993 in the wake of filling in as US representative in New Delhi for simply under a year, it took the Clinton White House 14 months to select the following emissary, Honest Wisner. In some circles, the delay was viewed as disrespectful, if not insulting, to a nation that at the time was a minor and distant partner in a unipolar world.
Between March 1993 and August 1994, Kenneth Brill, a distinguished member of the US Foreign Service, served as chargé d'affaires. Nonetheless, it was viewed as a rejection of a highly coveted station that has hosted some of the greatest diplomats in American history. In July 1963, Chester Bowles, who was traveling to New Delhi at the same time as John Kenneth Galbraith was leaving, literally crossed each other at the threshold.
The absence of five charge d'affaires in New Delhi for two years while an ambassadorial nominee awaited confirmation in Washington begs the question: The most obvious response, then, is the well-known gridlock in Washington that results from deeply partisan politics.
President Biden initially proposed Garcetti for the position of US ambassador to India on July 9, 2021. He was confirmed by the Senate after a grueling 20-month process that was stalled due to allegations that he ignored sexual assault and harassment allegations against a former top aide.
President Biden had to re-nominate him earlier this year when the new Congress was seated after the mid-term election, stating that he has "confidence in Mayor Garcetti and believes he will be an excellent representative in India at a critical moment and calls for the Senate to swiftly confirm him" because the conflict became so contentious that the initial nomination was withdrawn.
In the end, three Democratic senators opposed him and seven Republicans supported him in a bipartisan vote in the Senate. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Ohio who once supported India, and Mazie Hirono, a Democrat from Hawaii, who traveled across India as a young backpacker during the Emergency, were among the opponents.
"I'm excited with the present result, which was a definitive and bipartisan choice to fill a basic post that has been empty for a really long time. To make light of the contentious process, Garcetti said, "Now the hard work begins."
He went on to say, "I’m deeply grateful to President Biden and the White House for the confidence and support throughout this process, and to all Senators on both sides of the aisle — regardless of whether they voted for me — for their thoughtful consideration."
Indian activists and Indian-Americans were also thrilled to have a point person in New Delhi for the first time. The United States should appoint Eric Garcetti as ambassador... India's significance to the global economy and national security will only increase in the coming years. "It is essential to have a steady hand to guide our relationship with India," Yogi Chugh, a California entrepreneur who hosted Garcetti and Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna for dinner last year, said.
"Having led Los Angeles, one of the world's most vibrant cities, Mayor Garcetti is aware that advancing the US-India partnership, the most significant relationship of the 21st century, will require collaboration with all stakeholders. Mukesh Aghi, President and CEO of the US-India Strategic Partnership, stated, "Eric has a deep understanding and affection for India and the Indian people, and I have no doubt he will hit the ground running when he lands in Delhi." "Eric brings the humility of a great leader who is constantly looking to improve and make a difference," Forum continued. Additionally, he views the big picture!"
