By:  Vandana Jhingan

The new chancery premises of the Consulate General of India in Seattle were inaugurated on Tuesday by India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Kwatra. The ceremony was attended by Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, along with elected officials and members of the Indian American community.
Governor Ferguson hailed the opening as a “landmark development” that would strengthen ties between India and the Pacific Northwest. Senator Cantwell and Mayor Harrell also welcomed the consulate’s permanent home in Seattle’s downtown Federal Reserve Building, a historic site listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places since 2013.

The new chancery spans two floors of the building, with the first floor housing the consular services section and the 11th floor accommodating administrative and commercial offices.

The Seattle mission is the sixth Indian consulate in the United States. It began operations in November 2023 from a temporary location, following an announcement by India’s Prime Minister earlier that year. Since opening its consular services in July 2024, the mission has served nearly 23,722 applicants across nine states, including Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska.

During his visit, Ambassador Kwatra also met with Indian American community representatives, senior leaders from Seattle’s technology sector, and state and local elected officials. The ceremony concluded with the unveiling of an inauguration plaque and community interactions.