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New US envoy Sergio Gor heads to New Delhi amid Trump tariff tensions
Sergio Gor said that he is leaving for New Delhi today for a four-day visit to meet his Indian counterparts.
Newly-appointed US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor announced on Thursday local time that he is leaving for New Delhi today to meet Indian counterparts. This will be his first official trip since being confirmed by the Senate earlier this week.
Gor was speaking at an event in Washington, DC, when he talked about his planned four-day visit to India to meet his counterparts. Confirming the development later, country's spokesperson for the department of state said, “US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael J Rigas will travel to India from October 9 to October 14.”
“Ambassador Gor and Deputy Secretary Rigas will meet with Indian government counterparts to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues. The United States will continue to work with India to strengthen our strategic partnership and promote a safer, stronger, and more prosperous Indo-Pacific region,” it added.
The announcement came not so long after the US Senate confirmed the 38-year-old as the American envoy to India. His visit comes as trade negotiations between India and the United States remain underway amid escalating tariff tensions.
Trade talks continue
Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal established a November deadline on Tuesday and said that both sides are in "continuous dialogue" on the proposed bilateral trade agreement.
"We are in constant dialogue with the USA (on the trade pact), and talks are on at various levels. We will give more information on this soon on how we are thinking of taking it forward," PTI quoted Goyal as saying during his official visit to Doha.
Last month, during trade talks in New York, Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor held discussions with commerce minister Goyal and US trade representative Jamieson Greer.
However, Goyal noted that the timing and mode of the next round of trade talks remain uncertain due to the ongoing US government shutdown. "Every possibility exists," he said on the negotiations taking place in person, "but with the US government currently in shutdown mode, it remains to be seen how, where, and when the next round of talks can take place," news agency PTI quoted him as saying.
The US government has remained closed since midnight on October 1 after Congress failed to pass a funding bill.
US tariffs add strain to negotiations
In February, leaders of both nations directed officials to negotiate a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) to conclude its first tranche by fall 2025. So far, five rounds of talks have been held, with both sides describing the discussions as "constructive."
India is facing pressure to finalise a trade deal with the United States, amid Washington’s imposition of a hefty 50% tariff on Indian exports.
Amid these tensions, Sergio Gor, a close aide to US President Donald Trump, has repeatedly highlighted New Delhi as a crucial partner. He noted that “Improving US-India trade ties will not only bolster US competitiveness but also reduce China’s economic leverage over other nations.”
Gor had also said that India's role in ensuring regional stability and security "cannot be understated".
Earlier, Trump had showered praise on Sergio Gor, saying, “For the most populous region in the world, it is important that I have someone I can fully trust to deliver on my Agenda and help us 'Make America Great Again. 'Sergio will make an incredible Ambassador.”
Notably, the United States retained its position as India's largest trading partner for the fourth year in 2024–25, with bilateral trade reaching $131.84 billion, including $86.5 billion worth of exports from India.
Meanwhile, the proposed trade pact between the two nations seeks to boost this figure significantly, targeting an expansion of bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030 from the current $191 billion.
