Eric Garcetti has been confirmed as the new US ambassador to India, and will take up a position that has been vacant since Jan 2021. The US Senate approved Garcetti's appointment on Wednesday; President Joe Biden first nominated him in July 2021 and then he was renominated in January this year.

Garcetti, a supporter of Biden, garnered 52 votes in his favour and 42 votes went against him. The 52-year-old will replace Ken Juster in New Delhi, who was appointed as the country's envoy in May 2017 by then-President Donald Trump before resigning when Biden assumed the presidency.

Eric Garcetti served as the President of the City Council of Los Angeles for four consecutive terms and is known to be a close acquaintance of President Biden.

Before entering politics, Eric Garcetti was a guest lecturer of International Affairs at the University of Southern California, where he taught courses in diplomacy, public policy, and world affairs. He also served as an officer in the US Navy Reserve for nearly 12 years, starting in 2005. In addition to his political career, Garcetti is known for his passion for jazz piano and photography.

From 2013 to 2022, Garcetti held the position of Mayor of Los Angeles, making him the youngest mayor the city has had in 100 years and the first Jewish person to hold the office. Prior to his time as mayor, he served as the President of the Los Angeles City Council from 2006 to 2012 and as a Councilmember for the 13th District before that.

Eric’s father, Gil, served as the 40th district attorney of the Los Angeles County, across two terms. His wife, Amy, was a fellow Rhodes Scholar at Oxford; the couple got married in Jan 2009 and is parents to an adopted daughter.