The US Chambers of Commerce has asked the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to swiftly confirm the nomination of Kenneth Juster as the next Ambassador to India to advance America’s commercial interests.
US President Donald Trump had recently nominated Juster to the top post, which has been laying vacant since January 20.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is yet to schedule his confirmation hearing.
“On behalf of the US Chamber of Commerce’s US–India Business Council (USIBC), I urge the committee to expeditiously take up and approve the nomination of Kenneth Juster to serve as the United States Ambassador to India,” Myron Brilliant, head of the international division of the trade body said in a letter to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
In his letter dated September 8, Brilliant said the Chamber commends the Trump administration on the recent successful engagement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including the bilateral summit two months ago.
“We welcome the important outcomes of that meeting, particularly the approval of the sale of US-made drones.... In addition, we applaud the goal of expanding business and trade ties between our two countries,” he said.
The US, he argued, must build on the momentum of the Modi visit by moving quickly to confirm Juster to serve as US Ambassador to India. “His distinguished career in government, business, and law serves as outstanding preparation for this critical role, and he has a rare level of experience in US–India relations,” he wrote.
“Further, the US Embassy in New Delhi has been functioning without an ambassador since January, making it more difficult to advance US commercial interests. This vacancy is especially challenging as we continue to encourage the Government of India to undertake additional economic reforms,” Brilliant said.
“Confirming Mr Juster to serve as US Ambassador to India expeditiously would underscore the importance of the US–India bilateral relationship,” Brilliant said in the letter.