NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — India is now gearing up to enhance its diplomatic outreach in the United States with two new consulates to be opened in Los Angeles, California and Boston, Massachusetts. It reflects growth in Indo-US ties, where the two nations are cooperating in trade, technology, defense, and people-to-people ties.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs says an extra number of consulates were needed to better serve the US-born, increasing Indian diaspora and with smooth diplomatic, economic, and cultural exchanges between the two nations. India already has six consulates in the U.S.: New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston, Atlanta
Strengthening Bilateral Relations
Opening up consulates in Los Angeles and Boston seems in line with India’s focalization of strategic internationalization of its diplomatic presence in the key global cities. Los Angeles is the second-largest U.S. city and hosts a sizable number of Indians besides serving as a key trade and entertainment hub. Moreover, it offers possible avenues of cooperation with the developing ties between Bollywood and Hollywood.
Boston is home to some of the most respected educational institutions in the world, such as Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where large numbers of Indians pursue graduate studies. Large numbers of Indian students should be reachable from the Boston consulate, and it might also be used for creating academic bonds between Indian and American educational institutions.
Expansion of Indian National Services
Among the services to be availed in these newly developed Indian consulates is a passport and visa service, legal consultancy, trade, as well as information regarding investment. The western as well as the north-eastern citizens of the U.S. will benefit from this as they will not have to travel long distances to either one of the two consulates available in San Francisco as well as New York.
Opening these consulates also means that New Delhi is not only looking to enhance economic engagement with American companies but particularly to try to increase relations in sectors like information technology, pharmaceuticals, and energy. California and Massachusetts are two of the innovation and business capitals of America, so they’re vitals for deepening the ties of trade with India.
A growing Indian diaspora
There are over 4.5 million Indians in the U.S. and constitute the largest immigrant communities in the country. Indian communities like Los Angeles and Boston are counted as a vibrant part of the social and economic tapestry of the U.S. With the new consulates, much is this going to be said in establishing cultural exchanges with American public life and contributing towards the increasing presence of the diaspora.
Looking Forward
The Indian government has announced that the consulates will be opened by the end of next year, and plans are already in progress to establish diplomatic staff and secure facilities. That development is seen as further cementing the growing partnership between India and the U.S. in particular because such two nations want to go through greater cooperation to make it easier for them to navigate global challenges.
