NEW DELHI: After a gap of nearly two years, the United States of America has finally cleared decks to send Eric Garcetti as full-time Ambassador to India.
Garcetti, a close acquaintance of US President Joe Biden, was nominated in 2021 but his confirmation was held up in the Senate because of reservations by some members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Now, when Biden’s Presidential term is more than half over, the Senate has given its approval and Garcetti will arrive in Delhi as US Ambassador.
The delay in the entire process once again profiles the inadequacies of the traditional process by which the US appoints ambassadors.
Leaving the position of Ambassador vacant for so long, that too in a country with which the US is seeking to comprehensively strengthen relations, could have been interpreted as a sign of indifference. But Biden decided to stand by his friend Garcetti despite the opposition to his appointment. As a Senator, he chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
In India, the Modi Government also did not want to embarrass Biden and may have assured him that the vacant ambassadorial slot would not cast a shadow on the bilateral relationship.
Garcetti was the Mayor of Los Angeles for four consecutive terms – from 2013 to 2022. He is the youngest mayor the city has had in 100 years and the first Jewish person to hold the office. Prior to his time as mayor, he served as the President of the Los Angeles City Council from 2006 to 2012 and as a Council member for the 13th District before that.
Before entering politics, Garcetti was a guest lecturer of international affairs at the University of Southern California, where he taught courses in diplomacy, public policy, and world affairs. He also served as an officer in the US Navy Reserve for nearly 12 years, starting in 2005. In addition to his political career, Garcetti is known for his passion for jazz piano and photography.
