Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass has welcomed the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open an Indian Consulate in Los Angeles.

“Especially as we prepare to host the world in 2026 for the FIFA World Cup and 2028 for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, I am excited and honoured by this announcement,” Ms. Bass said in a statement on Wednesday (September 25, 2024).

With nearly one million Indians and Indian-Americans living in California, the new Consulate will be a resource for people throughout the region as well as for those visiting from India in the years to come, she said.

“I have seen first-hand the critical work that our Consulates in Los Angeles do to support both the communities they represent, and to build bridges — economic, educational, and cultural — between our cities and our people. They are an essential part of what makes our city a global city, and we look forward to welcoming India’s representatives to L.A.,” Ms. Bass added.

Ms. Bass said the Los Angeles region is also home to more than 180 universities and colleges, centres for student experience, research, and innovation.

“California is proud to host more than 10 per cent of all Indians studying in the United States, and we value the bridges they create between our communities…Tourism between India and Los Angeles is another source of mutual benefit… With more than 100,000 Indian visitors to Los Angeles every year, a consulate will not only provide important services but become a key partner to expand our cooperation,” she said.

Los Angeles is home to more than 1,50,000 Indian Americans.

“With the largest port complex in the western hemisphere, thousands of start-ups and the third largest venture capital market in the United States, and a slate of international sporting and entertainment events scheduled over the next decade including the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, I am excited by the endless opportunities to strengthen ties between Los Angeles and India,” Ms. Bass said.