BENGALURU: The United States will open a Consulate in the city by January 2025, and US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said that his country is working to fulfil its commitment to open a Consulate in Bengaluru in the said period.
The US had earlier announced plans to establish consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, Garcetti said during a session hosted by the US-India Business Council (USIBC) in New Delhi.
“We are committed to opening the Consulate in Bengaluru, and we hope to make an announcement soon,” he added. He also emphasised the presence of a Foreign Commercial Service office in Bengaluru, which further reinforces the strong economic and diplomatic relationship between India and the US.
The opening addresses a long-standing demand from Bengaluru’s citizens, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya said. He stated, “The people of Bengaluru had to go to Chennai, Hyderabad, or New Delhi to get any US visa-related work done. It used to cost them anywhere between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000. Even after having the largest number of students and techies who travel to the US, Bengaluru did not have a Consulate.”
‘US Consulate in Bengaluru will help people of Karnataka’
“We are very happy about the White House announcement, and I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making it possible. The US Consulate in Bengaluru will help 4-5 lakh people in Karnataka every year to get their visa stamping done, without travelling outside the state,” Surya added.
The MP said he wrote to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar in 2019, highlighting Bengaluru’s pivotal role in Indo-US ties, with its 370 US-based firms and 750 multinational companies, adding that PM Modi’s 2023 visit to the US sealed the decision to establish the Consulate. Surya expressed gratitude to PM Modi, EAM Jaishankar, and US diplomats, calling it a boost to Bengaluru’s global stature and US-India relations.
Karnataka IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge also welcomed the announcement of a US Consulate opening in Bengaluru. “This is great and exciting news! The US Consulate is set to open in Bengaluru in January 2025. This will be a huge boost for Karnataka and will further enhance the economic prowess of the state.
It will help strengthen ties between India and the US, fostering closer diplomatic, technological, and economic collaborations,” he stated.