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Updated January 13th, 2022 at 07:37 IST

Eric Garcetti: Senate Committee okays Los Angeles Mayor's nomination as US Envoy to India

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has confirmed Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti's nomination to be the United States ambassador to India

Reported by: Anwesha Majumdar
Eric Garcetti
Image: AP/ PTI | Image:self
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The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has confirmed Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti's nomination to be the United States ambassador to India on Wednesday (local time). The nomination for the position, however, must be approved by a majority of the US Senate, and a voting date has not been set yet. Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey headed over the hearing on Wednesday, and the committee consisting of 22 senators, was evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.  

Garcetti was among the slew of ambassadors and other foreign-policy nominations that received approval. Individual senators objected to several of the nominees, but none objected to Garcetti's appointment. US President Joe Biden has nominated the mayor for the ambassadorship, which he announced on July 9. 

Senate committee was considering Mayor's candidacy for U.S. Envoy to India

Further, Mayor Garcetti was asked several questions during his appearance before the Senate committee on December 14, 2021, as they considered his candidacy to be the United States ambassador to India. At his appearance, Garcetti told the Senate committee during his opening statement, "Few nations are more vital to the future of American security and prosperity than India," ANI reported.  

The mayor further said, “If confirmed, I will endeavor to advance our ambitious bilateral partnership united by a free and open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. If confirmed, I intend to double-down on our efforts to strengthen India's capacity to secure its borders, defend its sovereignty, and deter aggression - through information sharing, counterterrorism coordination," ANI reported.

Moreover, Garcetti went to India for the first time as a teenager with his parents, then again he visited in the year 1990 as a guest of Ambassador William Clark Jr. He plans to study Hindi as well as Urdu in college, and to know more about Indian and Cultural Religious History, as a result of his trip, ABC7 reported. 

Garcetti will be a firm hand in guiding the India-US relations: White House

Eric Garcetti, a political appointee who previously worked as a co-chair of Joe Biden's presidential election campaign, is considered to be President Biden's close associate. The White House has highlighted Garcetti's efforts in co-founding the bipartisan "Climate Mayors" network and persuading over 400 mayors throughout the United States to sign the Paris Climate Agreement when announcing his selection. 

As per the sources, the White House believes Garcetti will be a firm hand in guiding the India-US relations because India is a critical partner in Washington's endeavour to counter China's growing strength and influence.  

Since 2013, Garcetti, a Biden supporter, has served as mayor of Los Angeles. He has even served as an intelligence officer in the United United States Navy Reserve Component for 12 years, working under the commander of the US Pacific Fleet and with the Defense Intelligence Agency until retiring as a lieutenant in 2017. 

(Image: AP/ PTI)

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Published January 13th, 2022 at 07:37 IST

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