US President Joe Biden’s close aide Eric Garcetti was on Wednesday (15.03.2023) confirmed by the US Senate as the country’s next ambassador to India. The Senate voted 52-42 to fill the key diplomatic position that had been vacant for over two years. Since July 2021, when Biden nominated him for the prestigious diplomatic posting, his nomination had been pending before US Congress.
Last week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 13-8 in favour of his nomination.
His nomination was not brought to the Senate floor for a vote during the last Congress. This is because the ruling Democratic Party did not have enough support to get a close aide of Biden through.
Garcetti was not confirmed by the Senate in President Biden’s first two years for his allegedly deliberately ignoring the sexual harassment charges against his mayoral advisor Rick Jacobs during his tenure as Los Angeles Mayor.
President Biden renominated Garcetti to the same position in January this year.
After the change of government in America, Kenneth Juster stepped down as ambassador to New Delhi in January 2021.
