Eric Garcetti, the former mayor of Los Angeles, just completed his first year as the U.S. ambassador to India after being appointed by President Biden. The lifelong Angeleno saw the ambassadorship as an opportunity to strengthen ties between the U.S. and the emerging economic superpower of India.
Garcetti has a longstanding personal connection to Indian culture dating back to his teenage years when his college roommate was Indian. He even visited the U.S. embassy in Delhi in 1985 and had dreams of living in India that were reignited by Biden’s appointment offer.
In an interview with “Los Angeles Magazine,” Garcetti discusses the relocation process, his heavy workload comparable to being LA mayor, and why the U.S. needs to pay close attention to India now given its booming population, economy, and influence across sectors like medicine, tech, business, arts and diplomacy.
He highlights the cultural differences between American and Indian communication styles, with Indians favoring a more nuanced, indirect approach compared to the direct American style. Garcetti has immersed himself in Indian culture, even adopting the famous Indian head tilt mannerism.
While he misses aspects of LA like the weather, food, and driving, Garcetti has made efforts to experience India fully by already visiting 22 of its 36 states and territories in just 11 months. He helped establish the first nonstop LA to Delhi flight to facilitate more travel between the countries.
The interview also touches on Garcetti’s musical talents, his role in getting cricket added to the 2028 LA Olympics (hugely popular in India), and his embracing cricket by playing on the embassy team. Overall, Garcetti seems to have fully immersed himself in the Indian culture during this new chapter of his career.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
