Washington: US President Donald Trump on Monday will participate in the swearing-in ceremony of the new US ambassador to India and his close aide Sergio Gor.
In an email on Sunday, the White House confirmed that Trump will participate in a “Swearing-in Ceremony for the Ambassador to the Republic of India”.
Gor is expected to take charge in New Delhi soon after the swearing-in.
Confirmed by a Senate vote in October, the 38-year-old Gor will be the youngest US ambassador to India. He is one of the closest aides of Trump and was the Director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, entrusted with vetting more than 4,000 posts in the new Trump administration.
In August, Trump announced his nomination on Truth Social.
“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,” Trump posted on August 22.
Gor would also serve as a special envoy for South and Central Asian affairs.
In September, Gor, during his Senate confirmation hearing, had called India a “strategic partner whose trajectory will shape the region and beyond.”
“India’s geographic position, economic growth and military capabilities make it a cornerstone of regional stability and a critical part of promoting prosperity and advancing the security interests that our nations share. India is one of the most important relationships our nation has in the world. I will work to deliver on a presidential agenda and advance US interests by increasing our defence cooperation, ensuring fair and beneficial trade deepening, energy security and furthering technology,” he added.
He also spoke about strengthening defence ties with India.
“I will prioritise deepening defence and security cooperation with India. This includes expanding joint military exercises, advancing co-development and co-production of defence systems and concluding critical defence sales,” he noted.
He had also met External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September.
After the meeting, the US State Department Bureau of South and Central Asian affairs said that both leaders “look forward to further promoting the success of the US-India relationship.”
A day after his Senate confirmation, Gor travelled to India on a 4-day visit and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior officials.
After the meeting, Gor wrote on X: “An honour to be with PM Narendra Modi this evening. Our relationship with India will only strengthen over the months ahead!”
PM Modi reciprocated: “Glad to receive Mr Sergio Gor… I’m confident that his tenure will further strengthen the India–US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.”
(IANS)
