Eric Garcetti is formally the U.S. ambassador to India.

The former L.A. mayor and newly minted ambassador was sworn in on Friday by Vice President Kamala Harris, a fellow Californian. The ceremony capped Garcetti’s dramatic, almost two-year struggle to fill one among Washington’s most important diplomatic posts.

“It feels great. Can’t wait to serve,” Garcetti stated as he flashed two thumbs up after the ceremony in Harris’ ceremonial workplace, positioned in a constructing subsequent to the White House. “I’m so honored the vice president did this today.”

A grinning Garcetti raised his proper hand whereas Harris carried out the ceremony, and relations cheered when the 2 longtime pals shook arms.

The Senate voted 52 to 42 to verify Garcetti earlier this month after his nomination stalled for almost two years over considerations about whether or not the previous mayor knew, or ought to have identified, about sexual harassment allegations towards a former high aide. In an sudden plot twist, seven Republicans crossed the aisle to assist him safe the submit whereas three Democrats opposed him.

President Biden, an in depth political ally of the mayor, first nominated Garcetti in July 2021. Garcetti cleared his first Senate Foreign Relations Committee listening to in late 2021 by an unanimous vote, however his pathway was quickly blocked by allegations towards his former aide, Rick Jacobs. Garcetti has denied any data of the allegations.

Biden refused to call a brand new nominee and even renominated Garcetti on the primary day of the brand new Congress in January, sending an unmistakable message that the president was sticking together with his choose.

Garcetti sought to persuade skeptical senators on his personal. The former mayor’s dad and mom — former L.A. County Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti and Sukey Garcetti — employed lobbyists to assist safe his affirmation, spending $90,000 in 2022 alone, in response to federal filings.

“I checked in with him to make sure he still wanted me,” Garcetti instructed the Times after he was confirmed within the Senate. “I can tell you, unequivocally, he said, ‘Eric, I’m still 100% behind you.’”

The U.S. has been with out an envoy to India since January 2020. Biden has sought to bolster financial ties with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he appears to counter China’s rising affect within the area and shore up help for Ukraine towards continued Russian aggression. Modi has not explicitly condemned Russia’s invasion and has continued to purchase low cost gasoline from Moscow, shrugging off U.S. and European sanctions aimed toward chopping off Russian President Vladimir Putin’s capacity to fund the warfare.

The ceremony in Harris’ workplace additionally marked a private second between two politicians who ascended the California political world collectively. Harris and Garcetti’s relationship spans greater than 15 years, throughout which she served as California’s lawyer common and later a U.S. senator for the state.

During Biden’s profitable run for president, Garcetti, then Biden marketing campaign’s nationwide co-chair, recalled trudging by the Iowa snow with Harris in 2008 to knock on doorways for then-Sen. Barack Obama. He’s additionally spoken about their bond over being combined race: Harris is of Indian and Jamaican descent and Garcetti is Jewish and Mexican American.

Garcetti’s dad and mom, his spouse, Amy Wakeland, and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff stood subsequent to the previous mayor to mark the event. Garcetti’s daughter, Maya, held the historic Hebrew bible on mortgage from the Library of Congress used for the ceremony.

Asked when he plans to journey to India, Garcetti stated: “Hopefully as soon as I can.”