The U.S. and Indian governments dedicated a new U.S. consulate site in Bengaluru on 17th January. The consulate became a point of contention between the Congress and the BJP as both claimed to be the force behind ‘getting’ a US consulate to be set up in the city. The consulate does not have its own office yet hence the services available are also of limited nature. However, one must ask, what is the real reason for USA to take Bengaluru under its wings. An excerpt from the press release by the US government exposes itself, “Bengaluru is the sister city of San Francisco, California, and Cleveland, Ohio, and a key link with U.S. defense, technology, and aerospace companies.” Companies in the city are also involved in manufacturing drones that are deployed in Palestine with US support. Moreover, US companies also siphon cheap labour from Bengaluru for the IT sector and other allied industries.
Thus, the setting up of the consulate should be seen as part of the US imperialist project of strengthening foreign investment and exploitation in the city.
