Biden’s close aide Eric Garcetti appointed as US Ambassador to India

Eric Garcetti, a close aide of US President Joe Biden, was confirmed as the United States’ ambassador to India after the Senate on Wednesday voted on the cloture motion limiting debate on his nomination, passing 52 to 42 votes, indicating that the majority Democratic Party has necessary votes for his appointment to be the ambassador to India.

The former mayor of Los Angeles, Garcetti had been nominated by Biden for the coveted diplomatic position in July of 2021, and his candidature had been pending before the US Congress since then.
It may be pertinent to note that the position has remained vacant for the past two years.

The last US ambassador to India in New Delhi, Kenneth Juster, stepped down from his position in 2021 after the government changed in the US.

Previously, In the first two years of President Biden’s administration, the Senate rejected Garcetti’s nomination owing to concerns raised by some legislators on how the then-mayor had handled allegations of sexual assault and harassment against a former senior assistant.

In January of this year, President Biden renominated Garcetti for the same post.