Confident US will consider B'luru for consulate: MEA

Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar has said that he was confident Bengaluru will be considered as a possible location for a new American consulate given the city’s “strong economic and social links” with the US.

“The Ministry is aware of the difficulties posed by the long distance between Bengaluru and Chennai to the US visa applications,” Jaishankar said in a letter to Union Minister DV Sadananda Gowda, who represents Bangalore North in the Lok Sabha.

Gowda had forwarded to Jaishankar a request from BJP co-spokesperson A H Anand on opening of a US consulate in Bengaluru.

Jaishankar pointed out that both India and the US had agreed to open additional consulates during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US in 2016. “It was agreed that India will open a new consulate in Seattle and the US will open a consulate at a mutually agreed location in India,” Jaishankar said.

“I am sure that given its strong economic and social link with the US, Bengaluru will also be considered as a possible location for the new US consulate. However, the decision in this regard would rest with the US side,” he said.