New Delhi: Nearly two years after being picked for the job, former Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday night as the US ambassador-designate.
The US embassy’s Twitter account posted a welcoming tweet for Garcetti. “Namaste, Ambassador-Designate Eric Garcetti! We’re thrilled to welcome you to #IncredibleIndia and work with you to build even stronger ties between our two great nations,” it said.
At the same time, the official Twitter account of the US ambassador to India changed over to a photo and designation of Garcetti. The website was also updated with his biography.
Garcetti will be able to officially take up his duties and meet Indian officials only after he presents his credentials to the Indian president.
On March 15, he was confirmed as the new US ambassador to India by the US Senate after several Republican senators crossed lines and voted for him.
Nearly 22 months since President Joe Biden picked Garcetti for the post, the Senate voted 52 to 42, with seven Republicans voting for him and three Democrats against.
Despite being a close ally of Biden’s, Garcetti’s nomination was delayed due to concerns among Democrats about his awareness of an alleged sexual harassment incident involving a high-ranking aide.
Since the last US ambassador Kenneth Juster left in January 2020, the post had remained vacant for over two years and the embassy was supervised by about six charge d’affaires.
This story was first published by TheWire
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