Youngest US envoy to India discusses trade, defence and critical minerals; calls Modi “a great friend” of President Trump
NEW DELHI, Oct 11: Newly appointed US Ambassador-designate to India Sergio Gor on Friday expressed optimism about the future of India–US ties after what he described as a “great series of meetings” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, even as both countries continue to grapple with tensions over Washington’s recent decision to impose steep tariffs on Indian exports.
Gor, who arrived in New Delhi on a six-day visit accompanied by US Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael J Rigas, said he had an “incredible meeting” with PM Modi, where the two leaders discussed trade, defence cooperation, and critical minerals — key pillars of the bilateral partnership.
“I had an incredible meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We discussed trade, critical minerals and defence,” Gor said in his first public comment after his appointment was confirmed by the US Senate earlier this week.
On social media platform X, PM Modi welcomed the new US envoy and shared a photo of the meeting. “Glad to receive Mr Sergio Gor, Ambassador-designate of the US to India. I’m confident that his tenure will further strengthen the India–US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,” Modi wrote.
Before meeting the Prime Minister, Gor also held talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to discuss a range of strategic and economic issues.
At 38, Gor is the youngest US Ambassador to India and is known to be among former US President Donald Trump’s closest aides. He previously served as Director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, overseeing the vetting of over 4,000 political appointments during the Trump administration. His new mandate also includes serving as Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs.
The ambassador-designate’s visit comes at a delicate time in bilateral relations. The Trump administration recently doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, including a 25 per cent additional levy on India’s crude oil imports from Russia — a move that New Delhi has described as “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.”
Despite the friction, Gor struck an upbeat tone, saying President Trump continues to hold PM Modi in high regard. “President Trump considers Prime Minister Modi a great and personal friend,” he said, adding that the leadership of both nations remains committed to resolving outstanding trade issues.
Recent phone conversations between Modi and Trump have rekindled hopes of progress toward a long-pending bilateral trade agreement, with negotiators working to bridge differences on tariff barriers and market access.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, speaking in Doha earlier this week, confirmed that discussions are ongoing and expressed optimism about meeting the November deadline for the trade pact.
“We are in constant dialogue with the US on the trade pact, and talks are on at various levels. There is every possibility of sticking to the November timeline,” Goyal said.
He reaffirmed that India would continue to protect the interests of farmers and the dairy sector, just as it did in recent trade negotiations with the UK, EFTA bloc, and Australia, while also safeguarding the country’s religious and cultural sensitivities.
As Gor begins his diplomatic tenure in New Delhi, both sides appear keen to strike a balance between addressing immediate trade concerns and maintaining momentum in the broader strategic partnership that spans defence, technology, energy, and people-to-people ties.
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