Trump nominates Kenneth Juster as ambassador to India

NEW YORK:  President Donald Trump has nominated Kenneth Juster who helped lay the foundations of the India-US nuclear cooperation agreement, as the new ambassador to New Delhi. The nomination was announced by the White House on Friday evening. It will have to be approved by the Senate.  His nomination is a mark of importance that Trump places on building closer economic, trade and strategic relations with India.Juster, 62, had served as the Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economic Affairs from January to June under President Donald Trump. He was also the Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security from 2001 to 2005 under former President George.w. Bush. Juster still holds the position of Acting Counsellor of the Department of State.  The diplomat represented Trump for the advance work and negotiations for the May G7 summit in Italy. The New Delhi position has been vacant since January when Richard Varma resigned along with most political appointees of former President Barack Obama’s administration. As the Under Secretary for Commerce, Juster played a key role in developing the civilian nuclear cooperation agreement between US and India. IANS