New Delhi: The US on Tuesday denied that the India-US spat following the arrest and humiliation of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade led to the resignation of its ambassador to India, Nancy Powell.
The US denial has come amidst speculation that India-American Rajiv Shah may replace Ms Powell at Roosevelt House here. Just 41, Mr Shah currently heads USAID, a job for which he was picked by US President Obama.
Apart from his academic and professional credentials, the fact that he is a Gujarati like Mr Modi is seen as being in his favour too. However, the announcement of the next ambassador is expected to be made only once the new government is in place in India.
The sudden resignation of Ms Powell on Monday is being widely attributed to two facts the diplomatic row following Devyani’s arrest and the envoy’s perceived “cold” attitude towards any warming up to Narendra Modi, the BJP candidate in the race to become the country’s Prime Minister.
“There.s no big behind the scenes story here,” US state department spokesperson Marie Harf said.
She also said that Ms Powell’s resignation does not indicate any realignment in India-US ties.
