India-US engaged in concluding trade deal: US ambassador-designate Sergio Gor

US ambassador-designate Sergio Gor on Monday emphasised the importance of the India-US partnership and said the two sides are actively engaged in concluding a bilateral trade deal, signalling Washington’s desire to reset bilateral ties hit by months of severe strains.

The US and India are bound by shared interests and a “relationship anchored at the highest levels”, and Washington intends to invite New Delhi next month to join Pax Silica, the flagship US initiative to build a secure and resilient global supply chain for semiconductors and AI technology, he said in a brief arrival speech at the US embassy.

The remarks by Gor, a close aide of President Donald Trump who earlier served as the head of personnel appointments at the White House, were in marked contrast to critical comments by other senior American officials in recent weeks.

Bilateral ties plummeted to an all-time low last year after Trump hit Indian exports with 50% tariffs, including a 25% punitive levy on Russian oil purchases.

“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,” Gor said.

“The US and India are bound not just by shared interests, but by a relationship anchored at the highest levels. Real friends can disagree, but always resolve their differences in the end,” said Gor, who resorted to the unconventional step of addressing the media ahead of presenting his credentials later this week.

Providing an update on the India-US trade deal negotiations, he said: “Both sides continue to actively engage. In fact, the next call on trade will occur tomorrow.”

He added, “India is the world’s largest nation. So it’s not an easy task to get this [trade deal] across the finish line, but we are determined to get there.”

India and the US have struggled to conclude a bilateral trade deal despite multiple rounds of talks since early 2025, mainly because of Washington’s demands for lowering tariffs and opening up the farm and dairy sectors, which India has indicated as part of its red lines.

US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick ruffled feathers in New Delhi last week by saying a trade agreement couldn’t be sealed in 2025 because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not call President Trump because the Indian side wasn’t comfortable with the deal, a claim rejected by the Indian government.

Gor referred to the Pax Silica initiative launched by the US in December and said: “Today, I am pleased to announce that India will be invited to join this group of nations as a full member next month.”

The US-led initiative aims to build a secure and innovation-driven supply chain for critical minerals, energy inputs, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, AI development, and logistics, and has already been joined by Japan, South Korea, and the UK.

The two sides will also continue working closely together on other key areas such as security, counter-terrorism, energy, technology, education, and health, he said.

While Gor also spoke about a possible visit to India by Trump, he was non-committal on a timeframe. “I…hope that the President will be visiting us soon, hopefully in the next year or two,” he said.

People familiar with the matter have linked a visit by Trump to the successful conclusion of the trade deal. The next Quad Leaders Summit, to be hosted by India and already delayed by months, is also linked to a visit by Trump.

Gor noted that Trump had, during a dinner last week, recounted his “incredible experience” of visiting India in 2020 and his “great friendship” with Modi. He added the President had conveyed his “warm wishes” to the “people of India [and] especially his dear friend” Modi.