Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who has led the city during a period of booming development, a worsening homelessness crisis and a devastating pandemic, is President Biden’s nominee to become ambassador to India, the White House announced Friday.

If confirmed by the Senate, Garcetti would be the first L.A. mayor in more than a century to voluntarily leave office before the end of his term. He had been scheduled to step down in December 2022, when he would have finished a second term that was extended by 18 months after the city changed its election calendar.

In making the announcement, the White House emphasized Garcetti’s sweeping responsibilities and Los Angeles’ global role, highlighting the mayor’s oversight of the busiest container-ship port in the Western Hemisphere and one of the world’s busiest airports. Garcetti has also networked with counterparts around the globe, including in India, to push for stronger policies to battle climate change.