Economic expert Kenneth Juster named new US Ambassador to India

Washington: Kenneth Juster, a top economic expert on India has been sworn in as the US Ambassador to India. An old India hand, Juster, 62, is expected to be headed for India soon so as to prepare for the successful visit of Ivanka Trump to Hyderabad later this month.

'Congrats, Ken Juster, the new US Ambassador to India!? Vice President Mike Pence said in a tweet after administering the oath of office to him on Monday.

'The ties between the United States and India run deep, and @POTUS & I are confident that with his leadership, integrity & experience, Ken will build an even stronger partnership that will benefit our nation & our people,' Pence said.

Daughter of the US President Donald Trump and his senior presidential advisor, Ivanka will be leading a high-powered delegation of American officials and



entrepreneurs to attend the Global Entrepreneur Summit being hosted by India in Hyderabad. Juster replaces Indian-American Richard Verma as the top American diplomat to India.

The position has been lying vacant since January 20 after Verma resigned from the post after the swearing in of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the US. His nomination was confirmed by the US Senate unanimously on November 2.

Juster founded and served as the US Chair of the US-India High Technology Cooperation Group, and was one of the key architects of the 'Next Steps in Strategic Partnership initiative' between the US and India.

His work related to India played an important role in the transformation of the US-India relationship and helped provide the foundation for the historic civil nuclear agreement between the two countries.