The new US ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday, the US Embassy in India confirmed. Garcetti, a former mayor of Los Angeles, got the job two years after his name for the position was first announced.
“Namaste, Ambassador Designate Eric Garcetti! We are delighted to welcome you to India and work with you to build even stronger ties between our two great nations,” the US Embassy in India tweeted.
Despite the strong trade and security ties between the two nations, the US has not had an ambassador to India since January 2021. The last US ambassador to India, Kenneth Juster, departed on January 20. of 2021.
Garcetti, a close ally of US President Joe Biden, was nominated for the role in 2021. However, his appointment was delayed following allegations that he had overlooked sexual harassment allegations against an aide, Rick Jacobs. when he was mayor.
Garcetti has denied any wrongdoing. In March, the Senate confirmed the 52-year-old’s nomination by a vote of 52 to 42.
Who is Eric Garcetti?
A graduate of Columbia University, Garcetti was an officer in the US Navy for 12 years before entering politics. In 2013, he became the youngest Los Angeles mayor in 100 years and the first Jewish person to be elected to office. He held the position until 2022.
His tenure as mayor of Los Angeles had several highlights, including the security of the city as the host of the 2028 Olympic Games.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Garcetti was praised for formulating a proactive response in Los Angeles, building the largest vaccination and testing sites in the world.
Garcetti studied Hindi and Indian culture and history while at Columbia and earned a master’s degree from Columbia University’s School of Public and International Affairs. After graduation, Garcetti was selected as a Rhodes Scholar, studying at The Queen’s College, Oxford, and the London School of Economics and Political Science.
