Donald Trump to visit India...: US ambassador Sergio Gor

Calling India the United States’ most vital partner, US ambassador-designate Sergio Gor said New Delhi and Washington are preparing to restart the next round of India-US trade deal talks from Tuesday, January 12, while also signalling that US President Donald Trump may travel to India next year.

Gor, who serves as Special Envoy to South and Central Asia at the US Embassy, explained that the aim of the new posting is to push the India-US partnership into a higher gear, using closer political ties to support cooperation on trade, security, technology and other shared priorities.

India US partnership and strategic priorities

During an address at the US Embassy in Delhi, Gor underlined India’s strategic value for Washington and said the two capitals are planning an ambitious agenda across key sectors including counter-terrorism, defence ties, clean energy, digital technology, education exchanges and healthcare collaboration, alongside the long-running India-US trade negotiations.

Describing the political relationship, Gor stated, "The United States and India are bound, not just by shared interests but by a relationship anchored at the highest levels. Real friends can disagree but always resolve their differences in the end," linking this to the personal rapport between Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India US partnership, Trump visit and leadership ties

Gor said he has travelled widely with Trump and noted, "I have travelled all over the world with President Trump, and I can attest that his friendship with Prime Minister Modi is real," adding earlier that Trump’s bond with Modi is "real" and helps both sides manage differences.

Reflecting on potential high-level engagement, Gor recalled a recent conversation with Trump, saying, "This is the intersection between the world's oldest democracy and the world's largest democracy. During my last dinner with him, President Trump recounted his last visit to India and also his great friendship with the great Prime Minister of India. I hope the President will be visiting us soon, hopefully in the next year or two. President Trump has a habit of calling at 2 in the morning, and with the time difference in New Delhi, it might work out pretty well," suggesting a visit could reinforce India-US ties.

India US partnership on trade and Pax Silica alliance

On economic talks, Gor stressed that moving the India-US trade deal forward remains difficult yet essential, saying, "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. India is the world's largest nation. So it's not an easy task to get this across the finish line," and repeating, "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," emphasising the scale of the task.

Gor also confirmed that India is set to join the Pax Silica alliance, a US-led framework designed to build a secure, resilient and innovation driven silicon supply chain, announcing, "I am pleased to announce that India will be invited to join this group of nations as a full member next month," which would deepen India-US cooperation in critical technology materials.

Setting out his priorities, Gor declared, "No partner is more essential than India. In the months and years ahead, it is my goal as ambassador to pursue a very ambitious agenda. We will do this as true strategic partners, each bringing strength, respect, and leadership to the table," underscoring that the India-US relationship is expected to deepen through trade, security and technology cooperation in the coming years.