Barely days after US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick publicly blamed India for delays in concluding a trade deal, US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor struck a markedly conciliatory note in New Delhi, signalling a clear attempt at outreach at a moment when the bilateral relationship is under strain.
By announcing that trade negotiators would speak as early as Tuesday, and by confirming that India would be invited into the US-led strategic initiative Pax Silica, Gor sought to reassure New Delhi that Washington was invested in repairing frayed ties. The message was unmistakable: his arrival could mark a reset when mutual trust has taken a hit.
Across a carefully calibrated first-day statement, Gor underlined four themes: his personal connection with India; his proximity to President Donald Trump and the trust he enjoys; the centrality of the Trump–Modi relationship; and the need for steady, incremental steps to stabilise the partnership and address public sentiment.
Arriving days ahead of the first anniversary of Trump’s second term, Gor described the India-US relationship as “the most consequential global partnership of this century.” “No partner is more essential than India,” he said, laying out an “ambitious agenda” anchored in what he repeatedly called a relationship of equals: “true strategic partners, each bringing strength, respect, and leadership to the table.”
He wove the strategic pitch with personal recall, describing India as the “intersection of the world’s oldest democracy and the world’s largest democracy.” Recalling a 2013 visit — to the Taj Mahal, Ranthambhore, Jaipur and Punjab — Gor spoke of India’s “friendly people, colours, incredible history, innovation and spirit,” framing his return as both professional and personal.
A significant part of Gor’s outreach established his standing in Washington. He stressed that President Trump had personally chosen him and that he enjoys direct access to the Oval Office. He outlined how Trump had handpicked him and sought to display that he had the trust of the US President. “I was with the President last week, and as we had dinner right after New Year’s, he recounted his incredible experience visiting India, and also his great friendship with the great Prime Minister of India, Prime Minister Modi. I also hope that the President will be visiting us soon, hopefully in the next year or two.”
Calling the President a “dear friend”, he said, “I want to thank President Trump for once again putting his trust and confidence in me. I consider the President a dear friend.”
Gor explained the context of his joining the administration, indicating the trust he had been empowered with when in 2024, Trump asked him to be the Director of the Office of Presidential Personnel. “That meant hiring thousands of individuals across our entire federal government, from US Attorneys to Ambassadors, and every political hire across every department in the United States government, including the State Department. In our first year, we broke every record and filled over 95 percent of those positions. So, in this new year, I once again thank President Donald Trump for putting his trust in me and what is a very important relationship for both of our nations,” Gor said.
Reinforcing this, Gor flagged how he had a direct line with the US President. “When I first got this position, somebody at the White House asked me, ‘How are you going to keep in touch with the President?’ And the interesting thing is – that a lot of people don’t know – that the President has a habit of calling you at two in the morning. And so, with the time difference in New Delhi, it might actually work out pretty well,” he said.
On at least three occasions, Gor invoked the friendship between Trump and Modi — aware of the recent chill in ties after public statements in Washington: from “great friendship with the great PM of India”, “dear friend, the incredible Prime Minister” to “friendship with Prime Minister Modi is real”.
“I’ve travelled all over the world with President Trump, and I can attest that his friendship with Prime Minister Modi is real. The United States and India are bound not just by shared interests, but by relationship anchored at the highest levels,” Gor said.
Crucially, Gor engaged with the two key points of friction: the trade deal and India’s exclusion from Pax Silica.
“Real friends can disagree but always resolve their differences in the end…Many of you have asked me for an update on the ongoing trade deal negotiations. Both sides continue to actively engage. In fact, the next call on trade will occur tomorrow. Remember, India is the world’s largest nation, so it’s not an easy task to get this across the finish line, but we are determined to get there. And while trade is very important for our relationship, we will continue to work closely together on other very important areas, such as security, counterterrorism, energy, technology, education, and health,” he said.
He also announced that India would be invited to join Pax Silica, a US-led strategic initiative on AI and silicon supply chains, as a full member next month. “As the world adopts new technology, it is essential that India and the United States work hand-in-hand from the very start of this initiative,” he said.
Finally, Gor reached out to the people of India aware that public opinion here has been dented by the shrill rhetoric in the US administration on punitive tariffs and H-1B visas. “I thank the people of India for a very warm welcome. You are a resilient people. You are innovative. You are spiritual. I look forward to meeting many of you as I travel across this incredible nation,” he said.
For the Embassy, too, there was a message of looking forward. Gor has often been called the Trump loyalist who conducted “loyalty tests” for appointments. “To the staff here at the embassy, I’m excited to work with you,” he said. “You and I have an incredible once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to redefine diplomacy.” Jason P Meeks, the new Deputy Chief of Mission in Delhi, has been brought in from the embassy in Kathmandu.
Significantly, Gor’s public statement came before the formal presentation of credentials to President Droupadi Murmu. In a way, Gor has already departed from protocol: when he came to Delhi in October last year, he met Prime Minister Modi, External Affairs minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval and senior officials in MEA and Commerce, among others.
U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor receives a warm welcome as he marks his first day at the U.S. Embassy, in New Delhi on Monday. (@USAmbIndia X/ANI Photo) 
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