"US-India Ties Pivotal For Entire Planet": Envoy Quotes President Biden

The US-India relationship in the world is critical to its future, America's Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti has said, while asserting that the two countries have never worked as closely together on a range of issues as they do today.

Eric Garcetti, 52, President Joe Biden's close aide, was officially sworn in as the US Ambassador to India last month, ending more than two years of delay to fill one of Washington's most critical diplomatic positions.

"There are few relationships in the world that are more vital to the US and India. Our relationship in the world is critical to its future. As President (Joe) Biden has said, India and the US are indispensable partners," Mr Garcetti told a gathering of eminent Indian Americans at the first-of-its-kind US-India Summit organised by Congressional India Caucus's Co-chairs Ro Khanna and Michael Waltz on Wednesday.

Former Mayor of Los Angeles, Mr Garcetti's nomination was pending before the US Congress since July 2021 when he was nominated by President Biden. In March, the Senate voted 52 to 42 to confirm Garcetti after his nomination was stalled amid concerns by some lawmakers that he had not adequately handled allegations of sexual assault and harassment against a former senior adviser.

"Before I came out to India, I spoke with President (Joe) Biden about his vision for the US-India partnership. He stressed just how pivotal this moment is. It is pivotal for the entire planet and especially pivotal for our two countries," Mr Garcetti said.

The US and India have never worked as closely together on as many issues as they do today.

"We are two of the world's leading democracies. We are the world's largest and fifth largest economies," he said.

"We are connected through and empowered by the innovative spirit of our incredible people. And together, through the actions we take, we will together shape the 21st century, in this G-20 year and beyond, working alongside my incredibly dedicated colleagues at the US Mission to India," he added.

The US Embassy in India has been without an ambassador since January 2021, the longest stretch in the history of US-India relations that the post has sat vacant, since Kenneth Juster, the last US envoy in New Delhi, stepped down after the change of government in America.