External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Friday urged the US to ensure that the country’s new consulate in Bengaluru begins visa operations at the earliest. The minister was at the “site dedication ceremony” of the fifth US consulate in India, which is all set to begin operations. The consulate will work out of the US Commercial Service Office in the city till a permanent location is finalised. Jaishankar also said that an Indian consulate in Los Angeles will open soon. Outgoing US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti recalled that it was during one of the preparatory meetings for the G20 Summit in 2023 where Jaishankar urged the US to open more consulates in India. “Today, a promise made is a promise kept,” he said. Jaishankar said: “In 2023, as we prepared for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit, the establishment of this consulate became a priority. I told Ambassador Garcetti: ‘If you get Bengaluru done, I will get Los Angeles done’. So, as we celebrate this milestone, I am happy to share that a new Indian consulate in Los Angeles will soon follow.” The US Consulate in Bengaluru, set up after a nearly two-decade wait, joins the “first dozen” of foreign consulates in the city. Jaishankar said that the milestone marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for US-India relations, particularly in sectors like technology, space, defense, and education. “Bengaluru, as India’s tech capital, and Karnataka, as a hub of innovation, will play crucial roles in this journey,” he said. The establishment of the US consulate in Bengaluru is expected to benefit all US-headquartered firms in Karnataka, business travellers from the US to Karnataka and back, as well as tourists to and from the US.
