NEW DELHI: In what can be seen as signs of improving strained ties, newly appointed US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Monday that “no partner is more essential than India” for the United States, and indicated that the two sides remain engaged in negotiations to firm up a bilateral trade deal.
Speaking just hours after formally beginning his assignment in the Capital, Gor said Washington and New Delhi were working to push forward talks, with the “next call on trade” scheduled for Tuesday.
“Many of you have asked me for an update on the ongoing trade deal negotiations. Both sides continue to actively engage. In fact, the next call on trade will occur tomorrow,” Gor told US embassy employees and a small number of invited journalists.
Gor did not specify whether the call would be a telephonic conversation between trade negotiators or include political leadership. He also did not take questions after his remarks.
The envoy’s comments came as India-US ties have faced a difficult phase in recent months, with Washington mounting pressure on New Delhi over tariffs and changes to the H1B visa regime, among other issues. His message, delivered on the first day at the mission, was widely read as an attempt by the Trump administration to reassure Indian stakeholders of the strategic value the US places on the relationship. “You and I have an incredible once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to redefine diplomacy,” Gor said, calling India an “incredible nation”. “What it can accomplish could be the most consequential global partnership of this century.”
The 38-year-old diplomat said he intends to pursue “a very ambitious agenda” as ambassador, projecting the relationship as one rooted in long-term convergence rather than immediate disagreements.
“The United States and India are bound not just by shared interests, but by a relationship anchored at the highest levels,” he said. “Real friends can disagree, but always resolve their differences in the end.”
Gor also described the personal relationship between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “real”, and suggested that this would help both sides manage differences that have resulted in what he described as the worst phase in the relationship in the last two decades. “Real friends can disagree but always resolve their differences in the end,” he said.
The downturn in ties gathered momentum after Trump imposed a 50 per cent tariff on India, which included an additional 25 per cent duty linked to India’s purchase of Russian crude oil. The bilateral relationship has also faced strain on other fronts, including Trump’s claim of ending the India-Pakistan conflict in May last year and Washington’s new immigration policy.
Despite the difficult backdrop, Gor sought to project continuity in strategic engagement and underlined that trade talks remain active, even as mixed signals have emerged from Washington in recent days.
His remarks on ongoing negotiations came just days after US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested that Washington was not very keen to seal the trade deal quickly. Gor, however, told the gathering that officials on both sides remain in touch.
While speaking about trade, the envoy also recalled Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s comment that it will be a “year of reciprocity,” describing the administration’s broader approach to diplomacy and economic ties.
“We are raising the standard for diplomacy itself,” Gor said. “That means fair trade, mutual respect and shared security.”
At the same time, he acknowledged that concluding an agreement would not be straightforward given the scale and complexity of India’s market. “Remember, India is the world’s largest nation, so it’s not an easy task to get this across the finish line, but we are determined to get there,” he said.
Gor said the partnership would continue to expand across multiple priority areas beyond trade, listing security, counterterrorism, energy, technology, education and health.
“And while trade is very important for our relationship, we will continue to work closely together on other very important areas, such as security, counterterrorism, energy, technology, education and health,” he said.
The ambassador also expressed confidence that high-level political engagement would remain strong, stating he hoped Trump would visit India “in the next year or two”.
In personal remarks, Gor said he spoke with Trump a day earlier and carried a message from the President to India. “I bring his warm wishes to all the people of India, especially his dear friend, the incredible prime minister,” he said.
The tone of the envoy’s arrival was notably upbeat. Gor was warmly received by US embassy staff and walked into the main building as Sam and Dave’s iconic track “Hold On, I’m Comin’” played in the background.
Gor is known to be close to Trump and has been described as a key member of the President’s inner circle. He played a major role in the political action committee supporting Trump’s campaign ahead of the 2024 presidential election. His influence grew further after he was tasked with vetting political appointees in the new administration.
His appointment comes after a transition period at the US mission in India. In January last year, then US Ambassador Eric Garcetti stepped down, paving the way for the Trump administration to nominate and appoint a new envoy.
Gor had already visited India for six days in October, shortly after his appointment was confirmed by the Senate. During that trip, he met Prime Minister Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
On Monday, Gor said he was starting his stint with “profound respect” and a “clear mission” to take the partnership to a higher level. Calling the relationship unique in its democratic foundations, he described it as “the intersection of the world’s oldest democracy and the world’s largest democracy.”