US envoy Garcetti presents credentials to Murmu: ‘Honour to be back in India’

Qatar’s ambassador to India Mohammed Hassan Jabir Al-Jabir and Didier Gamerdinger, ambassador of the Principality of Monaco, also presented their credentials, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a statement.

“It was an honour to present my credentials to the President and it is an honour to be back in India at such an exciting and historic time in the US-India relationship,” Garcetti, the 26th US ambassador to India, said. “I look forward to working with the Indian people to raise our partnership to new heights.”

Separately, in a tweet, Garcetti said he is excited about working towards deepening the US-India ties. “Thank you to the Government of India for your close and fruitful partnership with the United States. I’m excited to deepen #USIndia ties as we work together on defining issues of our time,” he tweeted.

The US embassy said Garcetti will make his first official trip next week to Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

At a reception, later in the evening, Garcetti said about the India-US ties, “This is not a transaction. These are people who love each other. We may not agree in the end, we are touched by who we knew and what we did.. we are blessed by the work we do together. If the US and India get it right, we will get it right for the world.”

He also said, “The Indian dream parallels the American dream. I hope you will dream with me…let’s not mark history, let’s make history.”

Garcetti’s presentation of credentials came a day after the White House announced that US President Joe Biden will host Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an official state visit to the US, which will include a state dinner on June 22.

More than two years after the Biden administration came to office, Garcetti came to Delhi on April 11. His appointment comes after almost a year-and-a-half of delay with his confirmation at the US Congress. The post of US ambassador was vacant for more than two years, after former US envoy Kenneth Juster left on January 20, 2021.

Decks were cleared in March after the US Senate voted in favour of his appointment, overcoming the controversy over sexual misconduct allegations against an aide, whom Garcetti was accused of not acting against. He has always denied the allegations.

According to his biography on the US embassy website: “Eric Garcetti is a committed public servant, educator, and diplomat…. After serving twelve years as a Los Angeles city council member, including six as City Council President, Garcetti was elected as the 42nd Mayor of the City of Los Angeles in 2013 as the youngest mayor in Los Angeles history, and he was re-elected in 2017 with the widest margin ever recorded in his city.”

It stated that Garcetti served as a naval officer in the reserve component for 12 years. He earned a B.A. at Columbia College, Columbia University. Garcetti studied Hindi and Indian culture and history while at Columbia and earned a Master’s degree at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.