Washington: Eric Garcetti, U.S. President Joe Biden’s close aide, will be the next American ambassador to India after the Senate confirmed his nomination, ending a protracted hiatus of over two years to fill the key diplomatic position.

The Senate voted 52-42 to confirm the former Los Angeles mayor’s nomination on Wednesday. Garcetti, 52, lost the votes of three Democrats but convinced seven Republicans to cross the aisle, winning him the prestigious diplomatic posting. His nomination was pending before the U.S. Congress since July 2021 when he was nominated by President Biden. Last week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 13-8 in favour of his nomination.

Garcetti was not confirmed by the Senate in Biden’s first two years in office amid concerns by some lawmakers that Garcetti had not adequately handled allegations of sexual assault and harassment against a former senior adviser.

Biden re-nominated Garcetti to the same position in January this year. Kenneth Juster, the last U.S. envoy in New Delhi, stepped down in January 2021 after the change of government in America.

The U.S. embassy in India has been without an ambassador since then, the longest stretch in the history of U.S.-India relations that the post has sat vacant.