US President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, on Thursday said that Washington will prioritise pulling New Delhi “away from China” and bring it closer to the US.
During a lengthy hearing for his Senate confirmation, Gor asserted that India and the US were on track to resolve the “moment of hiccups” they encountered recently. He compared the relationship New Delhi shares with Washington to that with Beijing.
“While we (India-US) might have our moment of hiccups right now, we are on the track of resolving that. Our relationship with the Indian government and the Indian people extends many more decades, and it’s a much warmer relationship than they have with the Chinese. Chinese expansionism is not just on the border with India, it’s all over the area,” the Trump nominee said.
He added, “We will make it a top priority that India is pulled into our side and away from them (China).”
Sergio Gor also expressed America’s wish to have the Indian market open for US crude oil and petroleum products. He said, “In the ongoing trade talks, we want the Indian market to open for our crude oil, petroleum products, and LNG…India’s middle class is larger than the entire US.”
Amid the recent turbulence in the India-US ties over the 50 per cent tariff that Trump imposed on Indian goods, doubling the levy on New Delhi due to its Russian oil purchases, things have taken a new turn in the past week.
The US President had addressed the troubled situation and affirmed that he would “always be friends” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Indian leader responded to Trump and said he “fully reciprocated” the sentiment.
Earlier this week, Trump announced that his administration will continue negotiations with India to address the “trade barriers” between the two nations. He said that he was looking forward to speaking with his “very good friend” PM Modi in the coming weeks.
Sergio Gor also reaffirmed trade talks between India and the US, saying that they were close to clinching a deal. He termed the partnership as “one of the most important relationships our nation has in the world”.
He consistently described India as a “strategic partner” and “cornerstone of regional stability”.
“We’re actively negotiating with the Indians right now. In fact, the President has invited their commerce and their trade minister to come visit us next week. We’re not that far apart right now on a deal. In fact, they’re negotiating down to the nitty-gritty of a deal,” Gor testified.
