Two new Indian consulates being set up in US

New York, Sep 26 (UNI) India will shortly set up two more Consulates in the United States.

Informing this at a news briefing last night, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon said Atlanta and Seattle have been chosen to host the Consulates.

The news briefing was held in connection with the ongoing visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's UN-US visit.

''The two Consulates will be set up this year,'' he said, adding they would supplement the existing Consulates in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Houston. Washington DC plays hosts to the nation's Embassy.

In this connection, Mr Menon pointed out that the US has already set up a new Consulate in Hyderabad. He added in reply to a question that it would be up to the US to set up more Consulates in India as New Delhi has no say in this respect.

The Foreign Secretary pointed out that among other considerations, India decided to establish the Consulates because of the presence of the sizable Indian community and commercial interests at the two US cities.

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