Limbo over envoy hits Indo-US progress

Washington has not yet narrowed down on a pick for the vacant post of US Ambassador to India, people familiar with the matter said, adding that naming an Ambassador to India remains a low priority at this time for Trump administration.

- Shashank Mattoo

Former US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Atul Keshap (who also had a stint as Chargé d'affaires of the US mission in India) and Indian-American venture capitalist Asha Jadeja Motwani were two people initially thought to be in the running for the post of US Ambassador to New Delhi. However, the ‘Trump administration has not yet made any moves on the matter, the people added. Even Trump's political allies in the House of Representatives and the Senate remain unaware of the Administration’s pick. India and Australia are key US partners that are yet to see the appointment of a new Ambassador.

During Trump's first term between 2017 and 2021, scores of key diplomatic positions were left unfilled. By mid-2018, well over a year into the Trump administration’s term, 38 key Ambassadorial positions around the world were vacant. Kenneth Juster, who served as US Ambassador to India for most of Trump’s first term, took office in November 2017, almost a year after Trump was sworn in as President.