Juster is a “consensus pick” and a “top-notch India expert.”
Kenneth Juster, a senior official in the White House, is all set to become the next US ambassador to India, ending months of uncertainty over the successor of Richard Verma whose assignment ended earlier this year.
The 62-year-old Juster, who currently serves as the international deputy to White House’s National Economic Council, is going through a new round of clearances before his appointment can be officially announced, The Washington Post reported.
“Ken knows India well and actually was deeply involved in successful bilateral negotiations between the two countries,†the Post report quotes Ashley Tellis, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “The Indians will welcome him enthusiastically. He is a known quantity.â€
According to the report, which first broke the news, Juster is a “consensus pick” and a “top-notch India expert.”
Juster’s career has spanned over 35 years in government, law, business, finance, and international affairs. He served in senior positions in the Department of State and Department of Commerce, practiced law at the firm Arnold & Porter as a senior partner, and was a senior executive at the software company salesforce.com.
He has great knowledge about the US-India relationship and profound experience working on India policy issues.
“His move to India was because he was extremely qualified for the position,†The Washington Post quoted White House Deputy Press Secretary Lindsay Walters.
“Ken has a strong and positive relationship with everyone in the White House, including the president,†she added.
Juster is the founder of the U.S. Chair of the U.S.-India High Technology Cooperation Group and was one of the chief architects of the Next Steps in Strategic Partnership, an initiative between the United States and India.
Juster also played a pivotal role in laying out the foundation for the civil nuclear agreement between India and the US, thus taking the relationship to the next level.
He was appointed to the current position in the administration by Trump soon after the new administration took oath earlier this year. His duty as the Assistant to the president was to chiefly coordinate the administration’s international policies and integrate it with the national security and foreign policy.