On Wednesday, the US Senate will vote to confirm Eric Garcetti as the nation’s next ambassador to India.
This action by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer occurred as Mr. Garcetti’s critics launched a new wave of attacks on him in response to claims that one of his staff members had been sexually assaulted when he was mayor of Los Angeles.
Mr. Garcetti would shortly depart for India as US Ambassador, a post that has been empty for more than two years, if approved by the Senate.
At 2.15 p.m. local Washington time, a vote is set to affirm his candidacy.
The vote on the cloture motion pertaining to his candidacy would come before this, and Schumer is sure that he would have enough support to secure Mr. Garcetti’s confirmation as the US Ambassador to India.
Mr Garcetti’s candidacy has been pending before the US House since July 2021, when he was nominated for the coveted diplomatic appointment by President Joe Biden.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved his nomination by a vote of 13 to 8 last week at its business meeting.
As the US changed governments in January 2021, Kenneth Juster, the last ambassadorial resident of the US in New Delhi, resigned.
Mukesh Aghi, president of the US India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF), thought that India will finally have an ambassador before the important confirmation vote.
“We are hoping that the Senate will approve Mayor Garcetti to be the new ambassador to India this week or by next week, “Aghi said in an interview with PTI. In response to a query on the unusual delay in confirmation, Aghi said that it is an anomaly in which domestic politics affect global ties.
Yet despite the lack of an ambassador, the Biden administration and the Narendra Modi government are moving forward strongly, “added he.
“If you look at (US National Security Adviser) Jake Sullivan speaks to (his Indian counterpart) (Ajit) Doval on a weekly basis. Secretary of State Antony Blinken often communicates with Minister of Foreign Affairs S. Jaishankar. So, they were able to close that deficit “Agi remarked.
“But I believe it is crucial to have an ambassador because, when you see what is occurring in Delhi, you will notice that the Chinese, Russians, and Germans all pass by in the corridor while the Americans are absent. We anticipate that the Senate will approve Mayor Garcetti to serve as the country’s new ambassador this week or the next week “Added he.
