The absence of a US ambassador to India for more than two years is embarrassing, a senior Democratic senator said Thursday, and floated the idea of ​​an “equally qualified” candidate should current nominee Eric Garcetti be unable to secure enough votes for one to obtain Senate confirmation.

Garcetti, 52, a former mayor of Los Angeles, was nominated for US Ambassador to India by President Joe Biden in July 2021. His nomination was not put to a vote in the Senate because the ruling Democratic Party did not have enough support to get him through.

“It’s embarrassing that we say this is one of the most valuable relationships in the world and yet we haven’t appointed an ambassador,” Senator Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told PTI when asked about the issue.

Warner, who was part of a congressional delegation in India last week, said Indians also raised the issue of an ambassador’s absence at this important time. “I think the message has been relayed. I think our affair with actor Charles is doing a good job,” he said.

Warner also serves as co-chair of the Senate India Caucus, the largest and only country-specific caucus in the Senate.’

“Another thing that our Indian friends have said is you say these things (about strong ties with India) but you don’t even have an ambassador. Well, that (confirmation) has been obtained from domestic politics, but I think we’ve all made a commitment that Mr. Garcetti, who was nominated by the President, must have a vote,” he said.

“If he comes in, great. If he doesn’t come in, we need to have an equally qualified, competent person right behind him. We cannot continue this relationship without a Senate-approved ambassador here. It’s disrespectful if we don’t do that, Warner said in response to a question.

Republicans and some members of Garcetti’s own party opposed his nomination over allegations of sexual misconduct by some employees in the mayor’s office. Although his nomination was unbarred, the last Congress failed to confirm it.

Biden appointed Garcetti to the same position in January of this year. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez scheduled a vote on his nomination for Feb. 28. However, Republican Senator Marco Rubio withheld his nomination. The vote in committee has now been postponed to March 8th.

“One of these candidates has ignored credible allegations of sexual assault in his previous office. I will not ignore these absurd nominations that will hasten America’s decline,” said Rubio, vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

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