Bengaluru: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday revealed how he convinced the US government to open a consultant in Bengaluru as he inaugurated the mission along with Ambassador Eric Garcetti in the Karnataka capital.
Speaking at the inauguration, Jaishankar said he had a conversation with Garcetti during which he told him to open a US consulate in Bengaluru and he would return the favour by opening an Indian mission in Los Angeles, which also happens to be Garcetti’s hometown.
“Bengaluru is such an important place, it was for me an imperative that there is a permanent resident presence of American diplomats this time…It has been something long in waiting…I told him (US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti) you get Bengaluru done and I’ll get you Los Angeles done, which is his hometown. So we will be opening our consulate in Los Angeles also. A consulate serves many purposes. A big part of it is to facilitate travel,” he said.
#WATCH | Karnataka | At the opening of US Consulate in Bengaluru, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, “…Bengaluru is such an important place, it was for me an imperative that there is a permanent resident presence of American diplomats this time…It has been something long in… pic.twitter.com/RcZ15jgJ0M
— ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2025
Speaking to reporters after the inauguration, the US ambassador said, “It’s a great day. It’s a great day for Karnataka. It’s a great day for the United States and India. This is a town that lives and breathes the US-India relationship…It is a new beginning. We are stronger and we are together”.
America has benefited from Indian workers. We benefited from Indian visitors. We have Indian Americans who are now running universities. Indian Americans are running for the most important jobs. So to me, the more we can continue this and build on that, the better. That is my message for the future, he added.
