Bengaluru: Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya met External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Wednesday, expressing his gratitude for facilitating the establishment of a US Consulate in Bengaluru. Surya brought traditional Mysore Pak sweets as a token of appreciation and thanked the government for fulfilling a long-pending demand of the city.
In a video shared on X, Surya credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and EAM Jaishankar for their efforts in making the consulate a reality. “It’s been made possible only and only because of PM @narendramodi and EAM @DrSJaishankar’s efforts. What better way to thank our EAM than with our own Mysuru Pak!” he said.
My dear Bengaluru,
It’s official. The US Consulate is opening on January 17th.
It’s been made possible only and only because of PM @narendramodi and EAM @DrSJaishankar’s efforts.
What better way to thank our EAM than with our own Mysuru Pak! pic.twitter.com/uo85y2vsfl
— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) January 15, 2025
The US Consulate is set to open on January 17, with US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, and other dignitaries attending the ceremony. Initially, the consulate will operate from the JW Marriott hotel on Vittal Mallya Road with a limited number of officers. It will later shift to a permanent location, which is yet to be disclosed.
A boon for Bengaluru
Tejasvi Surya emphasized the benefits of having a US Consulate in Bengaluru, particularly for students, professionals and the IT sector. Bengaluru, often referred to as India’s IT capital, houses over 750 multinational companies, with nearly 370 headquartered in the United States.
“Bengaluru having a US Consulate will benefit lakhs of students from the city. The city is the country’s IT capital and home to many multinational companies. The Consulate will boost commerce and trade between the two countries and smoothen travel for businessmen and entrepreneurs,” Surya said. He also said that the new consulate would ease the burden on the US Consulates in Chennai and Hyderabad.
US Consulate in Bengaluru
The opening of the US Consulate in Bengaluru has been a long-pending demand, championed by Surya since November 2019. He had met EAM Jaishankar at the time with a formal written request, highlighting the challenges faced by Karnataka residents in accessing consular services.
“There are around 750 Multi-National Companies situated in Bengaluru with about 370 of them headquartered in the United States. Bengaluru and Karnataka together account for a large pool of students and businessmen travelling to the United States. Having a fully functioning US Consulate in Bengaluru rather than the existing virtual consulate would be convenient for at least half a million people of Karnataka,” he wrote in a letter dated November 18, 2019.
In March 2023, Surya reiterated his request, prompting EAM Jaishankar to assure his support. “Since you have put it so strongly and repeatedly, I assure you that the next time I meet Mr Anthony Blinken (then the US Secretary of State), I will hammer home that message with at least as much force as you have done,” Jaishankar had said.
During Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US in June 2023, it was announced that two new US Consulates would open in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. India, in turn, would establish a mission in Seattle, reflecting the strengthening ties between the two nations.
As the city prepares for the official inauguration, Surya expressed his pride in Bengaluru’s growing importance on the world stage, saying, “The Modi Government has promoted the interests of Bengaluru at every given opportunity, fulfilling a long-pending request.”
