Fri Jan 17 08:41:25 UTC 2025: ## Bengaluru Welcomes New US Consulate, Visa Services Planned for Future

**Bengaluru, India –** A new US consulate opened in Bengaluru on Friday, marking a significant expansion of US diplomatic presence in India. The inauguration ceremony was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti, and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

The opening of the fifth US consulate in India fulfills a long-standing request by the Indian government, with Minister Jaishankar highlighting Bengaluru’s deserving status. He revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised the issue during his US visit in September 2023.

While initial operations will not include visa services, Ambassador Garcetti confirmed the consulate’s imminent launch. Minister Jaishankar emphasized the urgent need for visa services in Bengaluru, citing the Regional Passport Office’s issuance of 883,000 passports in the past year and the substantial Indian student population (350,000) and diaspora (five million) in the US. He urged the US to expedite the implementation of visa services at the new consulate.

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