US Consulate in Bengaluru, Tejasvi Surya thanks PM Modi

Bengaluru, June 22 (IANS) Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya on Thursday thanked the Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring that Bengaluru gets a US Consulate.

In the backdrop of Modi's visit to the US, a senior White House official on Thursday announced that the US will open two new consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, while India will establish a mission in Seattle.

Surya, on his part, has been pushing for a US Consulate in Bengaluru during his engagements with the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar as well as officials from the US embassy in India.

"_Thank PM @narendramodi Ji and EAM @DrSJaishankar for getting a US Consulate in Bengaluru. As India's fastest-growing city and IT powerhouse with thousands of international companies, it was a long pending ask. This will help lakhs of Kannadigas & our city_," the BJP MP tweeted.

On March 24 this year, Surya sought Jaishankar's support to push for a US Consulate in Bengaluru with the US Foreign Affairs Department.

Back then, Jaishankar had said: "Since you have put it so strongly and repeatedly, I assure you that the next time I meet Antony Blinken, I will hammer home that message with at least as much force as you have done (right now)."

Even back in November 2019, Surya had met Jaishankar with a written request for a US consulate in Bengaluru.

"There are around 750 multi-national companies situated in Bengaluru with about 370 of them headquartered in the US. Bengaluru and Karnataka together account for a large pool for students and businessmen travelling to the US."

Having a fully functioning US Consulate in Bengaluru rather than the existing virtual consulate would be convenient for at least half a million people of Karnataka and would also ease the burden on the consulates in Chennai and Hyderabad," Surya had written in a letter dated November 18, 2019.

Surya had also placed a request with the US Ambassador to India, Kenneth Juster, in March 2020.

With Thursday's announcement of a consulate in Bengaluru, Surya felt that the city of Bengaluru will benefit tremendously and ties between the two countries have received a boost.

"The US Consulate in Bengaluru, apart from making it convenient for lakhs of students from the city, will enhance commerce and cooperation between India and the US. I once again thank the Modi government for promoting the interests of Bengaluru and ensuring that a long-pending request is fulfilled," he said.