US govt shutdown: how it impacts India

The American Centres in New Delhi and Kolkata were closed down for an indefinite period on Saturday just hours after the United States government shut down.

The American Centres in Chennai, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad are also likely to be closed down in the coming days, unless the Democrat and Republican lawmakers resolve the stand-off and pass Bills to fund operations of the US government. The US Embassy in New Delhi and the consulates in Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai, however, are likely to continue issuing visas to Indian citizens travelling to America.

"The American Center and the American Center Library are closed and will remain closed until further notice," the US Embassy in New Delhi posted on Twitter on Saturday.

"Due to the US government shut-down, the American Center in Kolkata and the Library are closed to the public until further notice. Any inconvenience is regretted," tweeted the US Consulate in New Delhi.

The American Embassy in New Delhi and the consulates in other cities will continue issuing passports and providing consular services to the US citizens.

The impact of the US Government shut-down in India will be clearer on Monday, when the diplomats, consular officials and other employees of American Embassy in New Delhi and the consulates will return to work after the weekend break. Sources said that the US Embassy in consultation with the consulates would prepare a list of non-essential employees and most of them would be put on furlough and asked to stay home and not work till the impasse in US Congress got over. Only the essential employees would continue to work, sources told the DH in New Delhi.