Donald Trump names Kenneth Juster as US ambassador to India

By Little India Desk | September 4, 2017

American President Donald Trump has named Kenneth Juster as the United States ambassador to India. Upon confirmation from the Senate, Juster, who is currently serving as the Deputy Assistant to the US President for International Economic Affairs, will replace Richard Verma, the first Indian-origin US envoy to the country.

According to political experts, Trump’s decision to nominate Juster as the Indian ambassador is a very calculated move, as the President, in his Afghanistan Policy speech delivered last week, stated that the crucial part of US’ South Asian strategy is to develop a strategic partnership with India.

The news of Juster’s nomination as the US ambassador was confirmed by the White House through a press release issued on Sept. 1, 2017. Lindsay E Walters, the White House deputy spokesperson, told PTI that Juster has been nominated as he is extremely qualified for the position. Walters added that Juster has a strong and positive relationship with each and everyone in the White House, including the President.

Kenneth Juster: The Think Tank Behind Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement

India and the United States signed the Indo-US Civil nuclear agreement in 2008. India agreed to place all its civil nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency, and in exchange, the United States offered full civil nuclear cooperation with India. The framework of this agreement was introduced in 2005 by Manmohan Singh and George W Bush, and it took more than three years to come to fruition.

The process of formulating the agreement was complex, and in the course, several amendments were made in the US domestic law. Juster, who was the Undersecretary of Commerce from 2001 to 2005, was said to have played a crucial role in formulating the agreement and conducting negotiations between the two countries.

The decision of Trump to nominate Juster as the US ambassador to India is receiving positive reviews from everywhere. In a recent interview given to the Washington Post, Ashley Telis, one of the top experts on India in the US, said that Indians will welcome Juster enthusiastically, as he was deeply involved in successful bilateral negotiations between the two countries in the past.

Juster, 62, has a masters degree in public policy from John F Kennedy School of Government. He also holds a law degree from the Harvard Law school.

Juster has also made his presence felt in the private sector. He was a partner at Warburg Pincus LLC, executive vice president at Salesforce.com, and a senior partner at the law firm, Arnold and Porter.