'Looking forward to working closely with Delhi', says US Ambassador Sergio

US Ambassador Sergio Gor on Wednesday said he was looking forward to working closely with New Delhi to advance shared priorities in areas of defence, trade, technology and critical minerals and to strengthen the overall partnership, as he presented his credentials to President Droupadi Murmu. Gor, the 27th US ambassador to India, said it was an honour for him to "serve in India at a time of such promise and opportunity in the US-India relationship". He made the remarks after presenting his credentials along with the envoys of Austria and Trinidad and Tobago at an official ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. "It is an honour to present my credentials to Indian President Murmu and to serve in India at a time of such promise and opportunity in the US-India relationship," he said. "I look forward to working closely with the Government of India and the Indian people to advance our shared priorities in defence, trade, technology, and critical minerals, and to further strengthen the partnership between our two great democracies," he added.

Prior to assuming his duties in New Delhi, Gor, 38, was assistant to the US President and Director of Presidential Personnel in the White House. He arrived in New Delhi on January 9 amid an unprecedented estrangement in ties between the two countries. The India-US ties have been reeling under severe stress after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent including a 25 per cent additional duty for India's purchase of Russian crude oil. Apart from the tariff, the relations witnessed a downturn on a number of other issues that included Trump's claim of ending the India-Pakistan conflict in May last year and Washington's new immigration policy. In an address at the US embassy, Gor said on Monday that no country is as essential as India to the United States. "You and I have an incredible once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to redefine diplomacy. What it can accomplish could be the most consequential global partnership of this century," Gor had said. "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," he said.