Kenneth I Juster will be the United States’ new ambassador to India, PTI reported on Thursday. The 62-year-old Harvard-educated lawyer is reportedly a close aide of President Donald Trump. “Ken Juster’s move to Indian Ambassador is because he is extremely qualified for the position,” White House Deputy Spokesperson Lindsay E Walters told PTI.
However, an official announcement has not been made yet. Juster is currently Trump’s deputy assistant for International Economic Affairs and deputy director of his National Economic Council. If nominated and confirmed by the Senate, Juster will replace Richard Verma, who had resigned from the post after Trump became the president.
India expert in US Ashley Tellis supported the move. “Ken [Juster] knows India well and actually was deeply involved in successful bilateral negotiations between the two countries,” he told The Washington Post. As the deputy secretary of commerce during President George W Bush’s tenure, Juster had launched the High Technology Cooperation Group to promote trade in sensitive dual-use goods and technology. “The Indians will welcome him enthusiastically. He is a known quantity,” said Tellis.
However, officials in New Delhi told Hindustan Times that the two countries have not yet reached the stage of “agremont”, a diplomatic process that seeks the host country’s assent before the envoy is nominated.
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