New Delhi: More than two years after Joe Biden became the President, India finally got a new US ambassador. The Biden administration has succeeded in appointing Rick Garcetti as ambassador to India after much effort. Garcetti has reached India and will officially take up his assignment after presenting his circular to President Draupadi Murmu.
Garcetti's appointment has a very special meaning for India and his proximity to the US administration and President Joe Biden can write a new chapter in Indo-US relations. This appointment is also special because Prime Minister Narendra Modi is about to visit America and the US President's visit to India is also being planned.
Giving information about Rick Garcetti, the US Embassy in New Delhi has posted a tweet in which it has said, 'Hello, Ambassador Designate Rick Garcetti. We are very excited to welcome you to Incredible India. Working together with you, we will further strengthen the relations between our two great countries."
Who is Rick Garcetti?
Introducing Garcetti on its website, the US Embassy writes that Rick Garcetti is a dedicated public servant, educationist and diplomat. He has been confirmed for appointment as the 25th Ambassador of the United States of America to India on 15th March 2023. He spent 12 years as a member of the Los Angeles City Council, for six of which he served as the City Council President. In 2013, Garcetti was elected as the 42nd Mayor of Los Angeles and was re-elected in 2017. He was the youngest mayor in Los Angeles history to hold this position.
Garcetti was also associated with the US Navy for many years. He studied Hindi and Indian culture and history at Columbia University and holds a master's degree from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. He is considered very reliable by President Biden. This is the reason why President Biden appointed him as India's ambassador right after taking office but his appointment was not getting approval from the Congress.
Until five years ago, he was seen as the shining star of the Democratic Party in American politics, but he faced many ups and downs due to political allegations. One of his associates was accused of involvement in a sex scandal and Garcetti had to defend him. It was from here that a series of disruptions began in Garcetti's political journey. However, President Biden was successful in getting his appointment approved by the US Congress and now Garcetti has reached New Delhi to write the new power story in the Indo-US relations.
Why is Rick Garcetti so special to India?
For the last two years no US ambassador was appointed in India. The Trump administration appointed Kenneth Jester as ambassador to India in 2017, who remained in India till January 2020. Since then, there was no appointment to this post for more than two years. In America, Joe Biden wanted to make Rick Garcetti the ambassador of India right after becoming the President, but due to political disputes, his appointment could not be approved by the Congress. It was only during the second attempt that Garcetti's appointment was approved.
Interestingly, Garcetti has always had a keen interest in Indian affairs in American politics. He tried hard to influence voters of Indian origin for Joe Biden during the presidential elections and was successful to a great extent. It is the result of his deep interest in India that he studied Hindi and Indian culture. For this reason, he was the first choice of President Biden as the ambassador of India.
No less challenges
Rick Garcetti's appointment as ambassador to India comes at a time when questions are being raised internationally about human rights in India. Garcetti himself is considered a diplomat of very sensitive image regarding human rights. Many of his statements have been such that indirectly question the status of human rights in India. Now that he himself is the US Ambassador to India, it is no less than a challenge for him to strengthen the relations between the two countries amid such questions.
There are no less challenges regarding the political situation in the Asia-Pacific region and India's role in it. Being a major commercial partner, America has always been an advocate of India's business interests in this region, but in recent times, China's hyperactivity in this region is no less a big challenge for America including India.
The biggest challenge for Ambassador Garcetti, however, will be to prepare ground for a smooth relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden. Prime Minister Modi was widely known for having a strong relationship with the previous US President Donald Trump. The Democratic Party also felt the sting of these relationships. To what extent Ambassador Garcetti can overcome this tension will probably be his biggest challenge.