Why the decision to appoint the new ambassador got delayed?
During the presidency of Donald Trump, Kenneth Juster, who is a businessman who had served in Senior State and Commerce Department positions during the George H.W. Bush and George
Bush. But resigned as per tradition when Trump's term ended. When Joe Biden took office it took him nearly six months to nominate a replacement, who is Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. His nomination is yet to be approved by the senate. His nomination was initially blocked by Republican Senator Chuck Grassley over allegations of inappropriate behaviour by one of his Senior Staffer. Through the hold on the nomination has been lifted, the Democrats are unwilling to put his nomination to vote on the senate floor as they believe they do not have enough votes. Nor it is clear that the White House is pushing very hard among Democrats who are troubled by reports that Garcetti mishandled sexual harassment complaints against a top aide. While Garcetti waited more than 500 days for a vote that remains unscheduled, the State Department has plunged the
gap with a series of charge d affairs. There is also a sense among senators that Garcetti does not meet the bar. The Statement from the US State Department is that the US-India partnership is one of the "most consequential in the world". However all these statement by the States Department or by Joe Biden itself have been failed to be translated into actions as the Biden Administration has appointed its envoys across the entire South Asian Region, but not in India.
What is its significance?
The prolonged absence of a US ambassador to India is a cause of concern for the US-India relationship. It reflects several things firstly a lack of priority given to the relationship by the US government. Secondly. it makes it difficult to coordinate on important issues, such as trade, security and climate change. Finally it undermines the
people to people ties between the two countries, as the ambassador plays a vital role in engaging with the Indian people and promoting cultural exchange. India is an essential partner for the US in Indo-Pacific region. The US is also deepening its ties with India to counter China. It is the longest that the US has been without a full-time envoy in India since 1950.
What happened on Wednesday?
On Wednesday Eric Garcetti won the confirmation from the senate for the post of US ambassador to India. The 52-42 vote in which several republican breaking party discipline for the vote that they said was a critical to fill one of the country's highest profile diplomatic posts. "Its a national security imperative to immediately have an ambassador in place in India. We can't afford to wait any longer" , said Indiana Senator Todd Young, one of the Republican crossover votes.
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