India-US ties: Once unthinkable now indispensable, outgoing envoy says after meeting PM Modi

Garcetti on Sunday called on Modi with his family for a ‘final’ meeting and later said the “compelling and consequential” partnership between the two countries has reached new heights
US ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti with Prime Minister Narendra Modi
US ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti with Prime Minister Narendra ModiX @USAmbIndia
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NEW DELHI: What was seen as unthinkable a generation ago will seem as indispensable a generation from now, outgoing US ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti on Sunday reflected about the ties between two countries after his farewell call-on with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Garcetti on Sunday called on Modi with his family for a ‘final’ meeting and later said the “compelling and consequential” partnership between the two countries has reached new heights due to the efforts of the Indian Prime Minister and the outgoing President Joe Biden.

Garcetti had taken over as the 26th United States Ambassador to the Republic of India on March 15, 2023.

His meeting with PM Modi came a day before Donald Trump’s inauguration as America’s 47th President of the United States. Garcetti like some of his predecessors is a political appointee to the post of US ambassador to India.

In a post on social media platform X, Garcetti wrote, “Had a great final visit with PM Modi with my family. It’s clear that he and President Biden have raised our compelling and consequential US-India partnership to new heights–record visas, record trade, record defence collaboration, record space cooperation, record students, record investments and so much more.”

He expressed his gratitude to PM Modi and the people of India for their warm hospitality and underlined that the US-India partnership has become indispensable and will continue to grow stronger in the coming years.

“What was seen as unthinkable a generation ago will seem as indispensable a generation from now, thanks to the work of these leaders and the people of our nations. Thank you Prime Minister and thank you to all Indians. It’s been a daily joy to help co-write this chapter with you,” he added.

Garcetti’s last official engagement in India was the site dedication ceremony of the US Consulate office in Bengaluru on Friday along with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka D K Shivakumar.

The US Ambassador then highlighted the rich history of US-India relations, dating back to 1776 when the US opened its second-ever consulate in Kolkata, India. He noted that the recent inauguration of the US Consulate office in Bengaluru marks an expansion of the US presence in India, rather than a new beginning.”

EAM Jaishankar announced on the occasion that India will open its Consulate in Los Angeles.

Garcetti was elected as the 42nd Mayor of Los Angeles in 2013. When elected, he was the youngest mayor in Los Angeles history, and he was re-elected in 2017 with the widest margin ever recorded in his city.

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