Eric Garcetti: Agent of Deep State & Blue-Eyed Boy of Anti-India Forces

Unconfirmed news of US Ambassador Eric Garcetti's departure after the presidential election has been met with celebration on Indian social media, with many X users recalling his legacy of political interference in India's internal affairs.

Some social media users even guessed that 53-year-old Garcetti, a former mayor of Los Angeles, failed in his mission to implement a "regime change" in India in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election, which witnessed Prime Minister Narendra Modi being sworn in for a record third term.

"Eric Garcetti has acted as an agent of the US Deep state during most of his tenure. As an ambassador, he has acted more of a politician rather than a diplomat, failing at large to appreciate the concerns of his host country. He has failed to manage differences between the two governments on a slew of issues." Dr Anant Bhagwat, the Founder-President of national security think tank Global Strategic Policy Foundation Pune (GSPFP), told Sputnik India.

Bhagwat recalled that several of Garcetti's remarks about India, even before his arrival in the country last April, were "unbecoming of a diplomat and bordered closely on political interference".

The think-tanker stressed that some of these matters directly concerned India's national security.

Bhagwat pointed out that Garcetti has only been viewed favourably at times when he promoted India as an "attractive foreign direct investment (FDI) destination" for US companies. However, such positive remarks were too few and far between.

The Indian think-tanker noted that Garcetti's comment on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the human rights situation in India during the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations confirmation hearing back in December 2021 had riled up many Indians.

Back then, Garcetti had stated that he would regularly take up "human rights violations" in India with his Indian counterparts.

Bhagwat highlighted that Garcetti, who claims to be a Hindi speaker, had been checking all the wrong boxes since he arrived in India.

"He has shown a considerable lack of sensitivity towards India's concerns on pro-Khalistan extremism and activities of terrorists like (Gurpatwant Singh) Pannun. On the other hand, he accused India of crossing a 'red line' in terms of the alleged Pannun plot," the Indian think-tanker stated.

Further, Bhagwat stated the Biden ally has been "guilty of courting anti-government forces", which include dissidents and Kashmiri separatists.

"Under his leadership, the US Embassy has been providing a platform to propagate views of critics of the Modi government through the use of official handles and series of lectures," the Indian expert remarked.

Further, Bhagwat noted that Garcetti's implied criticism of India's strategic autonomy following PM Narendra Modi's visit to Moscow last month didn't only upset the Indian government, but also the masses.

"All this has made him deeply unpopular in India," he remarked.

Bhagwat, however, pointed out that not everyone in India was upset with Garcetti.

"At the same time, Garcetti remains a blue-eyed boy of anti-India forces both here and abroad. I believe some of the harshest critics of Modi won't be happy at his apparent departure from India," the think-tanker concluded.

Political Affairs

US Ambassador's Comments on Indian Autonomy Echo Deep State Policy

12 July, 21:08