US to Open Consulate in Bengaluru by January

US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, confirmed the US is on track to open a consulate in Bengaluru by January. During a session hosted by the US-India Business Council (USIBC), Garcetti noted that the US is the only major country without a consulate in Bengaluru. He expressed optimism about the progress, mentioning the US’s existing Foreign Commercial Service office in the city. The move is expected to ease visa-related processes for over 400,000 people in Karnataka, who previously had to travel to Chennai, Hyderabad, or New Delhi for visa services.