U.S. Consul General in Chennai Judith Ravin
Inheritor of a rich portfolio, I assumed the post of U.S. Consul General in Chennai on September 6, 2020, to serve as the 26th U.S. Consul General in Chennai since 1947, advancing U.S.-India relations in a vast and diverse consular jurisdiction covering Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry. After three years in Chennai, as my tenure comes to an end, I am honored to have witnessed historical milestones in the ever-growing U.S.-India partnership between the people, governments, and business communities of our two great democracies.
Strong People-to-People Ties
From the bustling city of Chennai to the tech hub of Bengaluru, evergreen Thiruvananthapuram, biodiverse Port Blair, and the poignant Puducherry, I saw strong people-to-people ties wherever I travelled. India’s youth are the future torchbearers of the U.S.-India relationship. Record numbers of South Indian students are pursuing higher education in the United States, building even stronger cultural, educational, and scientific ties between our countries. And the U.S. Mission to India is on track to process over one million visa applications in 2023.
The American Center in Chennai, a hub for cultural and educational exchange between the United States and South India, was remodeled and modernized, providing state-of-the-art facilities for events, exhibitions, and trainings. We expanded our outreach to underserved communities, hosting a range of cultural events and educational programs that promote mutual understanding and respect between the United States and South India.
Promoting Economic Prosperity
Our team actively engaged in collaborating with our counterparts throughout the consular district to promote economic growth, bilateral trade, and sustainable development in the region. Through our partnerships, we focused on advancing key sectors such as space, emerging technologies, and manufacturing. We worked to foster empowerment of women and girls, including initiatives to promote women’s entrepreneurship, leadership, and access to education and healthcare. We engaged in promoting climate action and clean energy solutions with U.S. and Indian partners, driving economic growth and development in the region together.
Defense and Space Cooperation
One of the most memorable aspects of my tenure has been the opportunity to collaborate with Indian counterparts to advance the frontiers of space and defense exploration. Through joint missions and collaborations, we delved deep into the mysteries of the universe, unlocking new insights into the workings of the cosmos. Since 2005, the United States has participated in Aero India, and we see India as an indispensable partner for a safer, more prosperous, more open, and freer Indo-Pacific region. At Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru, we sent our largest-ever U.S. delegation, capturing headlines with the return of the mighty B-1B Bomber. Six months prior, in August 2022 at Larsen & Toubro shipyard facility in Kattupalli near Chennai, U.S. Navy Ship Charles Drew became the first-ever U.S. military vessel to undergo mid-voyage repair and maintenance in India, followed by another milestone in our expanding U.S.-India partnership – the Master Ship Repair Agreement. The historic agreement demonstrates the U.S. commitment to utilize repair facilities on U.S. military vessels on a regular basis at the Larsen & Toubro shipyard, strengthening our two nations’ strategic partnership and contributing to a free and open Indo Pacific.
I thank the people, places, and partners of India’s south and beyond for three extraordinary years of shared resilience, enrichment, and achievements. As I reflect on our accomplishments, I am reminded of the powerful impact that can be achieved through our #USIndiaTogether partnership, a groundswell of people and policy driving ecosystems of innovation.
Indeed, the United States and India are Better Together.
Leave a Reply