LOADING

Type to search

Eric Garcetti Strengthens Indo-US Ties During Tenure

Higher Education

Eric Garcetti Strengthens Indo-US Ties During Tenure

Share


In a heartfelt farewell, outgoing US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti celebrated the accomplishments in fostering stronger ties between the two nations while highlighting the deep connections he made during his tenure. Speaking to stakeholders at the Fulbright USIEF building, Garcetti underscored the progress made in education, culture, and people-to-people connections during his 21-month tenure.

A key theme for Garcetti in his speech is the robust collaboration between India and the US about academics. This is shown when he mentioned, “From early childhood programs that prepare our littlest learners for success to partnerships between American and Indian universities on research projects aimed at solving some of humanity’s biggest problems.” The U.S. and India have joined forces to ready young minds to face the biggest challenges the world has ever encountered, he added.

To further drive home the point of his term’s achievements, Garcetti was quick to remind everyone of how the US Agency for International Development (USAID) had greatly improved India’s education system. USAID’s focus on training teachers, providing digital learning and curriculum development programs, was through partnerships with the Indian authorities across the entire country. Increased opportunities for girls in STEM and students with disabilities were also areas of special attention. He proudly shared these initiatives had directly benefited more than 9 million students, enough to fill the population of several nations. He appreciated the “Learn, Play, Grow” program, a US Agency for International Development collaboration with Sesame Workshop, that he said inspires him.

Perhaps the most meaningful achievement during his tenure was the fact that India became the number one source country for international students in the US. He noted that one in four foreign students in American universities now hails from India. This growing educational exchange enriches American institutions and contributes to India’s development as returning graduates bring back skills and expertise. Garcetti also highlighted new joint degree programs, allowing students to earn qualifications recognized in both countries, as a testament to the deepening academic ties.

The ambassador appreciated the Optional Practical Training program, which brings industry and research experience for Indian students in the United States. As many as nearly 100,000 Indian students are currently benefitting from the program. The NIH also saw over 550 Indian researchers as the highest contributions by any foreign country to groundbreaking biomedical research.

Another concern has been about visa processing issues for Indian students and travelers, for which much ground has been covered by Garcetti. Garcetti has highlighted the increase of over 60% in his term, when the wait time for most categories had been dramatically reduced. For first-time visitor visas, however, much still needs to be done and they are currently down by 75% from peak times. The US mission to India inducted new consular officers, embraced new technologies, and applied artificial intelligence to make processes easier. The US issued over 1 million non-immigrant visas for the second year running and a record number of visitor visas. Every first-time student visa applicant in 2024 received their visa in time for their academic sessions, which reassured students and their families.

Garcetti made huge efforts both beyond education and in administration, working as an elected mayor in the city of Los Angeles with exposure to participation during his adolescence by way of being part of the student exchange to India, during which period, he reached nearly all parts of India at first hand visiting nearly 27 states and eight union territories.

Reflecting on the journey, Garcetti said, “The bond between the US and India is more than diplomatic; it is deeply personal and human. I will carry with me the strong connections I made with the people here.” As he draws to a close his term of office, the legacy of the Garcetti partnership is marked particularly in education, innovation, and cultural exchange among the two nations.

Tags:

You Might also Like

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *