The US opened its consulate in Bengaluru on January 17, a move described as a "significant milestone" by external affairs affairs Minister S Jaishankar and is expected to benefit techies, business visitors and students.
“While visa services will not be available immediately, we are committed to bringing them here as soon as possible. This consulate will play a pivotal role in fostering collaborations in commerce, science, technology, education, and culture,” US ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said at the dedication ceremony.
The outgoing US envoy stressed Bengaluru’s importance as India’s Silicon Valley, symbolising the synergy between the two nations.
"The formal opening of this consulate is a significant milestone. I understand the importance of initiating visa operations here, and this will remain a priority moving forward," Jaishankar said.
Also read: After BJP and Congress, JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy claims credit for US Consulate in Bengaluru
“This is intended to become the fifth US consulate in India. Initially, consular services will continue to be provided by the US Consulate in Chennai and other US diplomatic posts in India,” said an official statement.
“The consulate will build on the more than 30-year presence of the US government in Bengaluru by enhancing diplomatic engagement on economic and political issues, conducting public diplomacy and fostering people-to-people connections, and strengthening existing US and Foreign Commercial Service capabilities,” it added.
Referring to the 8.8 lakh passports issued last year by the Bengaluru Regional Passport Office, Jaishankar said it indicated demand for smoother travel and better connectivity.
Bengaluru’s three weekly flights to San Francisco, the presence of 3.5 lakh Indian students in the US, and a diaspora of five million people emphasised the need for deeper engagement.
Jaishankar also acknowledged Bengaluru and Karnataka’s pivotal roles in India-US relations, particularly in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, space technology, and defence.
Also read: US Consulate in Bengaluru: Site dedication ceremony on January 17
The minister expressed hope for stronger collaborations in education and research, aided by India’s new education policy.
Setting up a consulate in Bengaluru, he said, was an imperative driven by the city’s aspirations and its critical role in bilateral relations.
Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar said the consulate’s opening was the culmination of a vision set in motion 29 years ago during SM Krishna’s tenure as chief minister.
He described the consulate as a testament to the deepening ties between the US and Karnataka. “Despite infrastructure challenges, Bengaluru continues to attract Fortune 500 companies and remains a key player on the global stage,” Shivakumar said.
Several Karnataka ministers, Bengaluru South MPs and several industry leaders were present at the event.
As reported by Moneycontrol, the consulate will initially operate from JW Marriott, where the United States Commercial Service is currently based. Plans for full-fledged operations will proceed once land is acquired for a larger campus.
The consulate sparked a political credit war, with Congress, BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) leaders claiming credit.
Also read: US consulate in Bengaluru: Credit war erupts between Congress and BJP
Minister for IT/BT Priyank Kharge, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, and JD-S leader and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy have all asserted their roles in making the consulate a reality.
Sources said that Whitefield in East Bengaluru is a frontrunner for the consulate’s permanent campus, with Karnataka’s large and medium industries and infrastructure minister MB Patil, who attended the inauguration, offering land for the purpose.
This consulate is part of the US government’s expansion plan in India, which includes a new consulate in Ahmedabad.
The Bengaluru consulate is expected to streamline visa services for Karnataka residents, reducing their reliance on facilities in Chennai and Hyderabad.
Karnataka is home to nearly 700 US companies and tens of thousands of US citizens who live, visit, study, and work in the state—creating jobs in both the United States and India.
Bengaluru, a sister city to San Francisco, California, and Cleveland, Ohio, serves as a key hub for US defence, technology, and aerospace companies. The US government first established a presence in Bengaluru in 1993 with the opening of its Commercial Service post in the city, the statement noted.
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