Bengaluru, January 17, 2025: The US and Indian governments today dedicated a new location for the US Consulate in Bengaluru. US Ambassador Eric Garcetti, in collaboration with External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, dedicated the site for the US Consulate, which is set to become the fifth US Consulate in India. The Consulate will expand upon more than thirty years of US government presence in Bengaluru by increasing our diplomatic engagement on economic and political issues, conducting public diplomacy and people-to-people engagements, and augmenting existing US and foreign commercial service capabilities. Initially, consular services will continue to be provided at the US Consulate in Chennai and other US diplomatic posts in India.
Ambassador Garcetti and Minister Jaishankar, accompanied by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar, announced their efforts to deliver on the commitment made by President Biden and Prime Minister Modi during the Prime Minister's state visit to Washington, D.C. in June 2023.
The Expanding U.S. Presence in Bengaluru initiative will expand and deepen the longstanding relationship between the United States and Karnataka and build on the longstanding diplomatic engagement and strategic partnership in Karnataka. The state is home to about 700 American companies and tens of thousands of American citizens who live, visit, study and work in Karnataka – creating job opportunities in both the United States and India. It is also a hub for rapidly expanding cooperation in space, highlighted by the planned launches this year of the synthetic aperture radar satellite jointly developed by NASA, the International Space Research Organization (NASA) and the US mission to bring NASA-trained Indian astronauts to International Space Station.
Speaking at the dedication ceremony, Ambassador Garcetti said: “Our relationship truly extends from the bottom of the sea to the stars and nowhere is that truer than here in Bengaluru. The innovation and entrepreneurship in this state – from semiconductors to space – is matched only by California's Silicon Valley. I am very proud to dedicate our new consulate location and announce expanded cooperation between the American people and the citizens of Karnataka.
Expressing optimism about the future of bilateral relations, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. “I believe today it is within our reach, within the realm of possibility, to fully realize the potential of the India-US relationship,” Jaishankar said. …I see a great future for India and the United States, and I think, in that future, it is clear that Bengaluru will also have a prominent role.
While speaking at the event, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar shared his view saying, “This is not just an inauguration of the diplomatic mission, but a powerful symbol of US-India relations, especially with Karnataka, a state that has long been at the heart of growth.” and innovation in India.
Bengaluru is the sister city of San Francisco, California, and Cleveland, Ohio, and is a major link with American defense, technology and aerospace companies. The US government established its first office in Bengaluru in 1993 with the opening of a commercial service center in the city.
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