Gor Champions Strengthening of U.S.-India Ties Under Trump’s Leadership

Sergio Gor, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the ambassador to India, expressed confidence last Thursday about strengthening India’s ties with the United States, defying fears that it might be drifting towards China. During his Senate confirmation hearing, Gor highlighted that the two nations share little common ground and a close relationship between them is quite unlikely. He assured, ‘We might have a brief hiccup in our relationship with the Indian government, but it is generally much warmer and we are on the right track to resolving any issues.’

Elaborating on his plans for strengthening the USA-India partnership, Gor stated that if he got approved as the ambassador, he would strive incessantly to pull India towards a more amicable relationship with the US. ‘I will make it my highest priority to prevent India distancing itself from us.’ He mentioned his plans of deepening ties in defence and technology cooperation. ‘Expanding joint military exercises, co-development of defence systems and concluding defence sales will be my main focus,’ he assured.

While addressing senators’ concerns about Trump’s tariffs and the effect of his firm trade rhetoric, Gor made it clear that Trump’s tactics would not let India drift towards Beijing. Although Trump’s tough approach has strained ties with India, one of the key Indo-Pacific partners, the nominee accentuated the commonalities and mutual concern shared between the United States and India.

During the hearing, Senator Jeanne Shaheen voiced her concerns about China’s growing influence on India and the implications of the same for the US. She referred to China’s diligent efforts in taking advantage of America’s ‘retreat’ and swaying India’s sentiment towards itself. However, Gor elucidated that owing to border disputes and concerns over Beijing’s so-called ‘expansionism’, a strengthened bond between India and China is highly unlikely.

Gor pointed out that a five-year-old open conflict between India and China remains a sore spot in their relationship. This particular conflict resulted in a massive loss for both sides, with at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers getting killed. India’s lingering concerns over China’s belligerent expansion into the surrounding areas directly strike out any potential alignment between the two, making the possibility of an India-China alliance rather bleak.

Adding a unique perspective to Trump’s usual assertiveness, Gor championed India’s active participation within the Brics bloc. He shed light on certain policies where India has lent its support to the US within the bloc. ‘Unlike Brazil and China, who have been relentlessly trying to break away from the US dollar, India has been serving as the buffer against such moves,’ Gor noted.

In the midst of accusations from Trump that Brics, an assembly of ten emerging Global South economies, is pursuing ‘anti-American policies’ that aim to topple the US dollar’s supremacy, India’s cooperation stands as a testament to the country’s willingness and openness to associate with the US over other Brics countries.

In the Senate, Gor reinforced Trump’s dedication towards the Quad alliance and his intent to participate in its summit later this year. ‘President Trump is wholly committed to engaging more with the Quad and fortifying it,’ he emphasized. The Quad, or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is a strategic alliance comprising the US, India, Japan, and Australia that strives for an open, free, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.

Reiterating the enduring friendship between Trump and India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Gor revealed, ‘Even when critical of India, the President has never missed an opportunity to show his high regard for Prime Minister Modi. They share an incomparable bond.’ He further illuminated this special relationship by referencing Trump’s invitation to the Indian trade minister for a visit to Washington.

Trump’s gesture of reaching out to India’s commerce and trade ministers marked a promising start of a probable deal with the country. Gor hinted that the negotiation progress looked promising since both nations weren’t too far apart. ‘Negotiations are underway to deal with the nitty-gritty parts of the agreement,’ he indicated, further cementing the anticipation of a robust deal.

Gor indicated that these ongoing trade negotiations hold vital importance in solidifying the bond between India and the US. The United States aims to open India’s markets to their crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas. He also pointed out that discussions are ongoing to end India’s reliance on Russia for oil imports.

Gor further emphasized the immense potential India holds with a populace of 1.4 billion people. ‘The possibilities of expanding development into these markets are endless,’ he said. Asserting the monumental importance of these negotiations, he iterated, given the vast Indian population, the prospects for market invasion in the country are simply immeasurable.

Traditionally, the US has persistently been trying to navigate around the challenges of trade talks to bring India closer. And with the ongoing discussions, they are in well-position to leverage their negotiation powers to achieve this milestone. By resolving and phasing out the Russian oil imports, the US has a great chance of penetrating deeper into the Indian markets.

In conclusion, if appointed as an ambassador, Gor’s proposed tactics could set the stage for a productive and mutually beneficial relationship between the US and India. A relationship which, far removed from fears of India edging towards China, would be characterized by robust cooperation and significant advancements in a range of areas including defence, security, and economics.