US Dedicates New Consulate Site in Bengaluru, India
Bengaluru: The United States and Indian governments today dedicated a new US consulate site in Bengaluru, marking a significant expansion of US diplomatic presence in India.
US Ambassador Eric Garcetti and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar jointly dedicated the site, which will become the fifth US consulate in India. The consulate aims to enhance diplomatic engagement on economic and political issues, promote public diplomacy, and augment existing US commercial services.
Initially, consular services will continue to be provided at the US Consulate in Chennai and other US diplomatic posts in India.
The dedication ceremony was also attended by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar, who highlighted the significance of the new consulate in strengthening ties between the US and Karnataka.
Ambassador Garcetti emphasized the importance of the US-India relationship, stating, “Our relationship truly extends from the seabed to the stars, and nowhere is that truer than here in Bengaluru.”
Minister Jaishankar expressed optimism about the future of US-India relations, saying, “I do believe today it is within our grasp, within the realm of possibility that we realize more fully the potential of India-US relationship.”
The new consulate is expected to further boost economic and cultural ties between the US and Karnataka, which is home to nearly 700 US companies and tens of thousands of US citizens.
The US government first established an office in Bengaluru in 1993, and the city is also the sister city of San Francisco, California, and Cleveland, Ohio.
