US President Joe Biden on Tuesday renominated former Los Angeles mayor and ambassador-designate to India Eric Garcetti as the new congressional session began.
Despite the controversies surrounding his name, Garcetti has been Biden’s preferred choice to serve as his point man as ambassador to India.
Garcetti’s name was first proposed in July 2021, a few months after Biden took over the office. However, since then, Garcetti has not been able to receive approval from the US Senate, primarily due to a sexual harassment controversy.
Garcetti has been accused of turning a blind eye towards misconduct by a top aide in his mayor’s office. A claim that he has repeatedly denied being aware of.
Notably, it was Republican Senator Chuck Grassley that blocked Garcetti’s confirmation initially but later the Democrats remained non-committal citing the lack of votes.
However, with the Democrats gaining an advantage in the Senate after the November midterm elections, hopes have rekindled that Garcetti will earn his confirmation soon.
The Biden administration’s renomination of 85 of the 175 candidates that could not receive the nod in the last congressional session also pointed to a sense of urgency that had been missing for some time now.
Ever since Kenneth Juster’s departure as the US ambassador to India in January 2021, Washington has appointed six interim envoys.
The bilateral relations between the two countries are at a crucial juncture. The absence of a full-time envoy can have a negative impact as the ambassador acts as a bridge between the top hierarchy of the two countries during critical periods.
Usually, the absence of an ambassador is seen as a downgrade in ties. Countries often show displeasure over policy issues to foreign nations by recalling their envoys.
However, with India playing a pivotal part in the region and on the global map, the US cannot afford to have any high-ranking officer in the Roosevelt House.
(With inputs from agencies)
