OVER a month after Sergio Gor was nominated by US President Donald Trump as the next US Ambassador to India, and Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs, the US Senate has confirmed his appointment — despite the ongoing US government shutdown. Gor, 38, was among 107 nominees confirmed by the Senate in a single en bloc vote Wednesday with 51 senators voting in favour and 47 against. This quick confirmation indicates that Washington is keen to strengthen diplomatic and political interactions with India amid tensions over 50% tariffs and increased H-1B visa fees. Now that Gor’s nomination has been confirmed, the US government will send what is called an “agreement” to the Indian government for accepting him as the US Ambassador. Only after the Indian government accepts it, it becomes official. After that Gor can travel to India, and present his credentials to the President and function as the US envoy to India. The other important nominee confirmed was Paul Kapur as US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, a key appointment that handles the region including India. He is equivalent to a joint secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. Both these appointments will help schedule and fast-track meetings between leaders and officials in Delhi, Washington DC and elsewhere. The two sides have been exploring the possibility of a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the ASEAN and East Asia leaders' summit in Kuala Lumpur between Oct 26 and 28 - if both leaders attend the meeting and are in Malaysia at the same time. Describing Gor as a “great friend, who has been at my side for many years”, Trump had said announcing his nomination that “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.” On September 11, Gor had said — at his confirmation hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — that "India is a strategic partner whose trajectory will shape the region and beyond", and that President Trump has a “deep friendship” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He had pointed out that even when Trump has been critical of India, he has gone out of his way to compliment Modi. Gor said he is committed to advancing America's interest in this "important" partnership. This was the first time that the US envoy-designate had made his comments on Indo-US ties in a public forum. He had noted that India shares a lot more in common with the US than they do with China, and "for far too long, we have not had that personal touch. And not only will I be able to bring that to New Delhi, but the President is also extremely personally engaged.” "While we might have our moment of hiccups right now, we are on the track of resolving that. Our relationship with the Indian government, with the people of India extends many more decades, and it's a much warmer relationship than they have with the Chinese,” Gor said. “Frankly, they (India) are concerned by Chinese expansionism, and Chinese expansionism is not just on the border of India, it's all over the area," he said, adding if confirmed, he will make it a "top priority that India is pulled into our side and away from them (China).” "India's role in ensuring the stability and security of the region cannot be understated. A stable South Asia is in the interest of the US and all the nations,” he had said, adding that the US-India partnership will define the 21st Century. "It is only by working together that we can make that aspiration a reality.” He had said India's geographic position, economic growth and military capabilities make it a “cornerstone” for regional stability and a critical part of promoting prosperity and advancing the security interests that the two nations share. In the last week of September, Gor started his account as the special envoy for South and Central Asia —as he met top leaders of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Delhi is watching the meetings closely, as is specially interested in seeing if and when he meets the leaders from Pakistan, sources said. Also, how much does he push Delhi to give up its stated approach towards SAARC. This will be crucial for the Indian government to understand how Gor will handle Indian “sensitivities.” New Delhi has maintained that SAARC can’t be held because of cross-border terrorism by Pakistan, and Bangladesh chief advisor and head of interim government Prof Muhammad Yunus’s efforts to revive SAARC is seen as challenging that Indian position. Since Gor’s appointment as the dual role of South Asia envoy and US envoy to India, Delhi has been cautious. For Delhi, an appointment that allows the American interlocutors to engage with both India and Pakistan at the same time — especially at the envoy level — is seen as “problematic”. The US had de-hyphenated India and Pakistan after much diplomatic spadework over the last two decades. When US envoy Richard Holbrooke was made special envoy for Af-Pak and India was added to its remit, Delhi had leaned on the Obama administration to remove India from the ambit of his portfolio. Such re-hyphenation makes it challenging for the Indian government to navigate, especially when India’s ties with Pakistan are strained over the Pahalgam terror attack and military hostilities that have been paused — although Op Sindoor is not yet over. Sources, however, said that once Gor is in India, and has had access to briefings from Indian counterparts, he will be made aware of the sensitivities involved. After the confirmation, Mukesh Aghi, head of US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) - an independent non-profit institution which liaises between Indian and US businesses and governments - said, “Ambassador Gor’s confirmation is timely and decisive, and we express our deepest gratitude and respect to President Trump for assigning a trusted confidant who can help execute the President’s vision. Ambassador Gor’s confirmation is a signal to New Delhi that the US-India relationship is a top priority for the administration and the region, and together, through the right diplomatic channels, we can iron out the creases and reach consensus.”
