New Delhi/Washington: The US State Department has said that it is in close touch with its Indian partners with regard to the vandalization of the Indian consulate in San Francisco by pro-Khalistani supporters and that it takes the safety and security of the diplomatic missions hosted in the US and of the diplomats there quite seriously.
Indian-American US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel, asked whether the US and India are in touch over such incidents of vandalism as occurred in the San Francisco Consulate and the protest outside the Indian Embassy in Washington last week, said:
“..We take the safety and security of the diplomatic missions that we host in the United States and the diplomats that we – that work in them quite seriously.
“We are in close touch with our Indian partners on a number of issues, but including on this we made sure to remain in close touch with them as well as the appropriate local entities, depending on where these various missions and consulates were located.”
To another question, on when Eric Garcetti is set to take over as Ambassador to India, Patel said:
“We were quite happy to see Ambassador Garcetti be confirmed. I don’t have any specific date or timeline to share other than I know he’s eager to get to New Delhi and present his credentials very soon. And I’m sure that will happen as soon as it can.”
Taranjit Singh Sandhu, the Indian Ambassador to the US, who attended a reception hosted by the US-India Business Council chief and former US Ambassador to India Atul Keshap for Garcetti, in a tweet said:
“Delighted to attend the reception hosted by @USIBC @USAmbKeshap for @ericgarcetti, the next US Ambassador to #India. Joined friends of India, US in wishing him the very best.”
