A peek inside Eric Garcetti's plans for India

Washington: After over two years, the United States has finally confirmed Eric Garcetti, a loyalist to President Joe Biden, as its ambassador to India. The Senate voted 52-42 to confirm the nomination of 52-year-old Garcetti.

The nomination of Garcetti was pending before the US Congress since July 2021 when he was chosen for the diplomatic post by Biden.

Last week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 13-8 in favour of Garcetti nomination.

The last US envoy to India, Kenneth Juster, stepped down in January 2021 after Biden became President of the USA.

Reacting to the Senate confirming his appointment, Garcetti said he was “ready and eager to begin” his service representing US’ critical interests in India.

In a statement, the new US ambassador to India said: “I am 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 am 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.”

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India welcomed confirmation of Garcetti as the US envoy to New Delhi and said it looks forward to working with him to take forward the multifaceted bilateral relations.

Now, US has its envoy to India, but let us recall on Garcetti’s testified before Senate Foreign Relations Committee in December 2021.

Eric Garcetti’s plans for India

• Few nations are more vital to the future of American security and prosperity in India. If confirmed, I look forward to building on the world of my predecessor to elevate our partnership to new heights.
• Annual trade stood at a paltry $2 billion, defence trade was zero, and military interoperability was non-existence. The very idea of US-India strategic partnership would have been deemed laughable. Today, the fundamental nature of that strategic partnership is firmly ingrained here in Washington and in New Delhi.
• If confirmed, I will endeavour to advance our ambitious bilateral partnership. United by a shared vision of free and open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. Even with the pandemic, bilateral trade this year is expected to break a record.

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• If confirmed, I intend to champion an ambitious economic partnership with India to reduce market barriers, to bolster free trade, and to generate good middle class American jobs.
• We all know India is situated in a tough neighbourhood. If confirmed, I will extend efforts to strengthen India’s capacity to secure exporter to defend its sovereignty, to counter terrorism, and to deter aggression. We would do that through information chain, counter terrorism coordination, joint freedom of navigations, patrols and military exercise which I have witnessed personally with my brave Indian counterparts.
• If confirmed, I will work to advance our partnership in space, science and flight as well as other critical and emerging technologies.
• If confirmed, I will work closely with India on a similarly bold approach to promoting green energy, through international solar alliance, and through the agenda 2030 climate and clean energy partnership.

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• The bedrock of India-US relationship is warm and deep ties between our peoples. They connect our nations and it embodied by the 4 million strong Indian-American diaspora that strengthens our nation and the nearly two hundred thousand Indian students and tens of thousands of Indian professionals who contribute every single day to the strength of this country.
• Respect for human rights and strong democratic institutions are key elements of our strategic partnership and values enshrined in our constitutions, and if confirmed, I will engage regularly and respectfully with the Indian government on these issues.
• For the welfare of hundreds of US and thousands of locally employed staff at embassy Delhi and our four consulate in India, in addition to the 950,000 US citizens who reside in India and I want to assure this committee there will be no higher priority in their safety and security.

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