US consulate concentrating more on India's Northeast, adjoining border regions

SILIGURI: If the recent trend is taken as any indication, US diplomatic arena is now increasing its concentration on assessing social economical and political issues of north east Indian and adjoining border regions. During last 8 months, the region witnessed many visits of US Consulate top brasses and officials with never before kind of high frequency.

During her recent touchdown to Siliguri, US Vice Consul Samantha Jordan said, “ I am here as a part of our ongoing efforts at continued engagement with northern Bengal.” The northern Bengal city Siliguri is known as gateway to entire NE region and neighboring country Bhutan.

In recent past, US Consul general Craig Hall visited Siliguri in July and November last year. He had also visited Coochbehar, an Indo-Bangladesh border district. In addition, officials associated with US Foreign Commercial Service, Education, and US Consulate visited Siliguri last September and met officials of corporate houses, government departments, travel trade and students.


Clear enough, concentration of US consulate has gone up for entire north east and border region, accepted sources associated to diplomatic arena.

Visibly, one clear interest sector is travel trade. “I am visiting Darjeeling to assess the present situation there. Darjeeling has become a really large tourist attraction over the past few years,” said the vice consul.

It may be recalled that Darjeeling went under violent political chaos in July 2017 that resulted bandh for long 104 days. During that period, US Government issued travel alert for its citizens to the hilly region. “Our Government has withdrawn that,” said Jordan without commenting on separate statehood movement in Darjeeling hills.

Incidentally, increased visiting frequency of US diplomats in the region adjoining to Sikkim or Bhutan coincided with upraise of Doklam standoff between China and India. The two major trade destinations with whome USA enjoys total annual trade volume of over USD 700 Billion.

When asked whether US Government considers Doklam as purely Bhutan –China bilateral issue without India to have much in it or not, Jordan preferred silence. But she pointed out, “US supports sovereignty and the country’s own decisions.” On similar question earlier, Craig Hall also stressed on peaceful relations among neighbouring countries.