Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge recently held talks with US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, in New Delhi to address the establishment of a US Consulate in Bengaluru. Kharge emphasized the importance of having a consulate in Bengaluru due to the city's thriving business environment and the high demand for visa services currently being processed in Chennai and Hyderabad. This move aims to ease visa processing for the significant number of students and tech professionals from Bengaluru who frequently travel to the US.
During their meeting, Minister Kharge and Ambassador Garcetti discussed the potential for sister city partnerships between the US and cities beyond Bengaluru in Karnataka. These partnerships are designed to strengthen economic, business, and technological collaborations, fostering cultural exchanges in various sectors such as commerce, health, education, and technology. By highlighting the shared values and interests between the US and Karnataka, they aim to accelerate development in the technology corridor and attract more investments to the state.
Moreover, Minister Kharge outlined Karnataka's ambitious plans to establish a semiconductor hub, identifying four potential clusters within the state. He expressed the state's readiness to welcome more US companies to set up operations in Karnataka, leveraging its potential to become a leading electronics manufacturing hub in India. The meeting between Minister Kharge and Ambassador Garcetti signifies a significant effort to enhance US-Karnataka relations and position the state as a global technology and manufacturing leader, showcasing Karnataka's attractiveness to companies worldwide.