 "Sergio Gor in India, says next round of trade talks tomorrow: BTA talks get new momentum?")
US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor on Monday struck an optimistic note about stalled trade talks and said the next round of negotiations will begin tomorrow.
Speaking at the US embassy in Delhi, Gor said that “both sides continue to actively engage and the next call will take place tomorrow”.
Gor is expected to formally take charge later this week after presenting his credentials to President Droupadi Murmu. He will also simultaneously serve as US President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy to South and Central Asia.
Downplaying the rift between the two countries in Trump’s second term, Gor said Trump’s “friendship with Prime Minister Modi is real” and that the India-US relationship is anchored at the highest levels.
Gor further said, “Real friends can disagree, but they always resolve their differences. Our Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has said this will be a year of reciprocity with fair trade, mutual respect, and shared security.”
In Trump’s second term, the India–US relationship has plunged to its lowest point since the end of the Cold War as he has taken positions adverse to India on issues ranging from the Kashmir dispute to Operation Sindoor. He has also imposed 50 per cent tariffs, which are highest in the world, and repeatedly singled out India and blamed it for fuelling the Russian war machine. While ties with India have deteriorated, he has strengthened relations with Pakistan
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However, Gor sought to downplay the tensions and said that “while trade is important, we will also continue working closely on key areas such as security and counterterrorism”.
Quick Reads
View AllOn the broader India-US relationship, Gor said, “I come to this remarkable nation with profound respect and a clear mission to take the partnership between our two great nations to the next level. This is the intersection of the world’s oldest democracy and the world’s largest democracy.”
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