US confirms Eric Garcetti as envoy to India; ex-LA mayor says ‘ready and eager to begin service’

The United States will have an ambassador to India after a gap of more than 2 years, as the US Senate on Wednesday confirmed Eric Garcetti as Washington’s representative in New Delhi, where the former Los Angeles mayor will succeed Ken Juster, who resigned in Jan 2021, following the change in presidency from Donald Trump to Joe Biden.

The Senate confirmed Garcetti’s appointment shortly after the House passed the cloture motion on his nomination – which was pending before the US Congress since July 2021, when he was originally nominated by President Biden – with 52 votes in favour, and 42 against.

Reacting to the Senate confirming his appointment, the 52-year-old remarked he was ‘ready and eager to begin my service representing our critical interests in India.’

“I’m thrilled with today’s outcome, which was a decisive and bipartisan decision to fill a critical post that has been vacant for far too long. Now the hard work begins. 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 – whether they voted for me or not – for their thoughtful consideration,” the new US ambassador said in a statement, according to news agency ANI.

In the first two years of Biden’s presidency, the Senate could not confirm Garcetti as the country’s new envoy to India due to concerns among some lawmakers that as mayor, he did not adequately handle allegations against a senior advisor, of sexual assault of harassment.

In January, the Democratic Party leader was renominated to succeed Juster in New Delhi.