Los Angeles Mayor to be US envoy to India?

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is likely to be the U.S. ambassador to India. President Joe Biden is expected to announce the names of political ambassadors, next week, reports said. Biden is also expected to announce Nicholas Burns as the ambassador to China and Rahm Emanuel and Tom Nides as ambassadors to Japan and Israel respectively. Garcetti, 50, who served as the co-chair of Biden's presidential campaign, was initially considered for the Cabinet.

Garcetti is the 42nd Mayor of Los Angeles, the second-largest city in the United States, after New York City. The important position of US envoy to India has been lying vacant since January 20. Daniel Smith, the director of the Foreign Service Institute, who recently served as acting Secretary of State and Acting Deputy Secretary of State, has been sent to New Delhi to serve as Charge d'Affaires, ad interim.

According to reports, the White House is still finishing the vetting process for potential ambassadors, including Garcetti, following which, Biden is expected to formally send more than a dozen names to the Senate to begin the confirmation process for his first batch of political ambassadors, which also include appointments for France, Italy and Canada.