Today, the United States will vote on Eric Garcetti’s nomination as Indian Ambassador.

On Wednesday, the United States Senate will vote on Eric Garcetti’s nomination as the country’s next Ambassador to India.

A move like this by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer comes amid a new round of attacks on Mr. Garcetti by his detractors over allegations of sexual assault against one of his staffers while he was mayor of Los Angeles.

If confirmed by the Senate, Mr. Garcetti will soon depart for India as the United States Ambassador, a position that has been vacant for more than two years. His confirmation vote is scheduled for 2.15 p.m. local Washington time.

This would be followed by a vote on the cloture motion on his nomination, which indicated that Schumer is confident that he will have enough votes to confirm Mr. Garcetti as US Ambassador to India.

Mr. Garcetti’s nomination has been pending before the US Congress since July 2021, when President Joe Biden nominated him for the prestigious diplomatic post.

At its business meeting last week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 13-8 in favor of his nomination.

After the change of government in America, Kenneth Juster, the last occupant of the US ambassadorial residence in New Delhi, stepped down in January 2021.

Mukesh Aghi, president of the US India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF), expressed hope that India would finally have an ambassador ahead of the crucial confirmation vote.

“We are hopeful that the Senate will confirm Mayor Garcetti as the next ambassador to India this week or next week,” Aghi told PTI in an interview. In response to a question about the unusual delay in the confirmation, Aghi stated that it is an example of how local politics can affect international relationships.

“However, despite the absence of an ambassador, we are witnessing a strong momentum between the Biden administration and the Narendra Modi government itself,” he said.

“If you look at (US National Security Advisor) Jake Sullivan, he talks to (his Indian counterpart) (Ajit) Doval on a weekly basis, and we have Secretary (of State) Antony Blinken talking to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on a regular basis,” Aghi said.

“But I think it is important to have an ambassador because when you look at what is happening in Delhi — the Chinese, the Russians, the Germans, they all walk in the corridor and the Americans are missing. We are hopeful that this week or by next week, the Senate will confirm Mayor Garcetti to be the next ambassador to India,” he added.