Seattle: Over a year after its opening, the Indian Consulate in Seattle continues to deepen New Delhi’s relations with the Pacific Northwest states of the United States through opening of new visa application centres and enhanced Indo-US cooperation in the fields of technology, higher education, defence and agriculture.
It was agreed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit in June 2023 that India would take steps to operationalise its Consulate in Seattle before the end of 2023. A few months later – in November 2023 – the first Consulate General of India in Seattle was opened.
Located in one of the world’s leading tech hubs that is home to major companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Boeing, its inauguration marked a new chapter in India-US diplomatic ties that have grown tremendously over the last 10 years under the leadership of PM Modi.
Its consular jurisdiction spans over nine Pacific NorthWest States of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.
Consul General Prakash Gupta, an Indian Foreign Service officer, told IANS that the consulate continues to focus intensely on strengthening India-US cooperation in areas of technology and data.
“Given that technology is our focus, India must have a footprint where the tech hub is,” he maintains.
Gupta highlighted that, as technology continues to evolve, India’s young population will have a decisive role to play in future, especially in the sphere of artificial intelligence.
He also noted that the defence sector is one area where US giants can deepen their engagement with India and collaborate in several ‘make in India, make for the world’ initiatives.
Gupta, who has the experience of serving in several countries, including China, US and Indonesia, stated that the consulate has been actively addressing concerns of the Indian community in the region.
While there have been a spate of attacks on Hindu temples across the US, the diplomat is quick to point out that no such incident has taken place in Seattle.
“No such instance has come to my attention in Seattle. We have a good association with places of religious worship, and if any issue arises in our jurisdiction, we look after it,” he told IANS.
The Indian community in Washington State, particularly in King County that includes cities like Seattle, Bellevue, and Redmond, played a significant role in the just-concluded US Presidential elections.
Other counties with sizable Indian-American populations include Snohomish, Pierce, and Whatcom.
“Washington State exports a lot of apples to India and there’s also a lot of potential for blueberries and cherries,” said Gupta while hoping that people of Seattle would also get a steady supply of Indian mangoes, Indian coffee, and prestigious Indian high-end whisky brands in the coming times.
“Indians are now the second-highest outbound tourists globally. While New York and San Francisco often attract attention, this part of the US is beautiful and largely untouched. To boost Seattle’s appeal, we can showcase the region in Bollywood movies,” added Gupta.
Seattle’s growing influence is also mirrored in the economic ties between Greater Seattle and India. From 2018 to 2023, Greater Seattle’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into India accounted for 84 projects worth $14.3 billion in capital expenditure, creating over 86,000 jobs. Conversely, Indian FDI into Greater Seattle during this period totalled $153.2 million, supporting 678 jobs. The consulate’s opening is expected to further enhance these economic linkages.
The first Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) was also opened earlier this year to provide consular services like visa, passport, OCI and other related consular requirements to residents of Greater Seattle.
(IANS)
