By Lalit K JhaWashington, Nov 14 (PTI) Kenneth Juster, a top economicexpert on India has been sworn in as the US Ambassador toIndia.
"Congrats, Ken Juster, the new US Ambassador to India!”Vice President Mike Pence said in a tweet after administeringthe oath of office to him yesterday.
"The ties between the United States and India run deep,and @POTUS & I are confident that with his leadership,integrity & experience, Ken will build an even strongerpartnership that will benefit our nation & our people," Pencesaid.
An old India hand, Juster, 62, is expected to be headedfor India soon so as to prepare for the successful visit ofIvanka Trump to Hyderabad later this month.
Daughter of the US President Donald Trump and his seniorpresidential advisor, Ivanka will be leading a high-powereddelegation of American officials and entrepreneurs to attendthe Global Entrepreneur Summit being hosted by India inHyderabad.
Juster replaces Indian-American Richard Verma as the topAmerican diplomat to India.
The position has been lying vacant since January 20 afterVerma resigned from the post after the swearing in of DonaldTrump as the 45th President of the US.
His nomination was confirmed by the US Senate unanimouslyon November 2. Juster founded and served as the US Chair ofthe US-India High Technology Cooperation Group, and was one ofthe key architects of the 'Next Steps in Strategic Partnershipinitiative' between the US and India.
His work related to India played an important role in thetransformation of the US-India relationship and helped providethe foundation for the historic civil nuclear agreementbetween the two countries.
Most recently, Juster had served as the Deputy Assistantto the President for International Economic Affairs and DeputyDirector of the National Economic Council.
Juster played a key role in enhancing the Indo-US tiesunder the Bush administration.
Juster has also served as the Counsellor (acting) of theState Department from 1992-1993, and deputy and senior adviserto the Deputy Secretary of State from 1989-1992.
In the private sector, he has been a partner at theinvestment firm Warburg Pincus LLC, Executive Vice Presidentat Salesforce.com, and senior partner at the law firm Arnold &Porter.
He has also served as Chairman of Harvard University'sWeatherhead Centre for International Affairs, and as ViceChairman of The Asia Foundation.
Juster holds a law degree from the Harvard Law School, amasters degree in Public Policy from the John F Kennedy Schoolof Government at Harvard, and a bachelors degree in Governmentfrom Harvard College.
During his confirmation hearing in October, Juster toldlawmakers that India and the US share common values and acommitment to democracy, pluralism and the rule of law.
"The administration firmly believes that a strong Indiaand a strong US-India relationship are in America's interest.
India's role in the Indo-Pacific region and globally will becritical to international security and the economic growthover the course of this century," he said.
"There are many elements of our effort to expand andenhance the strategic partnership between our countries. Onekey pillar is to deepen defence and security cooperationbuilding on the US recognition of India as a major defensepartner," he said.
"Together, our countries seek to ensure freedom ofnavigation, over flight and commerce and advance a rules-baseddemocratic order throughout the Indo-Pacific region," he saidas he vowed to strengthen India-US cooperation on the mostpressing challenges to regional security and global peace. PTILKJAJR.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.