During an interactive session hosted by the US-India Business Council (USIBC) on Thursday, Garcetti highlighted that the US is the only major country without a consulate in Bengaluru, which has been a key point of focus, PTI reported.

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The US had previously announced plans to open consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. Garcetti expressed optimism about the progress, stating, “We’re committed to opening the consulate in Bengaluru, and we hope to make an announcement soon.”

He also noted that the US already has a Foreign Commercial Service office in the city, reinforcing the growing ties between the two nations.

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In 2023, when Prime Minister Narendra visited the United States of America and met President Joe Biden, they announced two new US consulates in India.

Earlier, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya said that the US Consulate would help at least four to five lakh people from Karnataka to get visa-related work done in the city.

He said, “The people of Bengaluru had to go to Chennai, Hyderabad or New Delhi to get any US visa-related work. It used to cost them anywhere between Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000. Even after having the largest number of students and techies who commute to the United States, Bengaluru did not have a consulate. We are fully happy about the Whitehouse announcement, and I thank PM Narendra Modi for making it possible. The US consulate in Bengaluru will help four to five lakh people in Karnataka every year to get their visa stampings done, without travelling outside the state.”