News India Times

www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know Trump’s Nominee For Ambassador To India Says Relationship Critical To Advancing US Interests EXTRACTS FROM THE SEPT. 11, 2025, TESTIMONY BY SERGIO GOR, PRESIDENT TRUMP’S NOMINEE FOR AMBASSADOR TO INDIA I t is an honor to appear before you as the nominee for U.S. Ambassador to India at this pivotal moment in our bilateral relationship. India is a strategic partner whose trajectory will shape the region and beyond. Under President Trump’s strong leadership, I am committed to advancing America’s interests while strengthening this important partnership. India’s geographic position, economic growth, and military capabilities make it a cornerstone of regional stability and a critical part of promoting pros- perity and advancing the security interests that our nations share. As Secretary Rubio noted, India is one of the most important relationships our nation has in the world. If confirmed as Ambassador, I will work to deliver on the President’s agenda and advance U.S. interests by strengthening our defense cooperation, ensuring fair and beneficial trade, deepening energy security, and furthering technology development for the 21st century. If confirmed, I will prioritize deepen- ing defense and security cooperation with India. This includes expanding joint military exercises, advancing co-development and co-production of defense systems, and concluding critical defense sales. These efforts will enhance interoperability between our forces while sup- porting American defense manufacturers and making America more prosperous. India’s population of over 1.4 billion and its rapidly growing middle class present immense opportunities for American businesses. From artificial intelligence to pharmaceuticals to critical minerals, the potential UNCLASSIFIED -3- UNCLASSIFIED for collaboration is vast; however, in the past, India’s protectionist policies and regulatory barriers have prevented us from fully realizing this partnership. If confirmed, I will work to advance trade that is fair, reciprocal, and beneficial to American workers and businesses. I will advocate for reforms that will make India’s markets more accessible and transparent, and labor standards higher, ensuring that American com- panies can compete on a level playing field. I will also work toward President Trump’s ambitious goal dubbed Mission 500 to double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030 which will expand American exports, creating jobs and prosperity for our citizens. Strengthening U.S.-India trade ties will not only bolster U.S. competitiveness but also reduce China’s economic leverage over other nations. Of particular note, if confirmed, I will encour- age Indian investments in U.S. manufacturing capacity for active pharmaceutical ingredients. India already provides 40 percent of all generic drugs purchased in the United States. With Indian investments in this sector in the United States, we can further secure our strategic pharmaceutical supply chain and create jobs in the United States. India is also a strategic partner in ad- vancing critical and emerging technology. The U.S.-India TRUST initiative, launched in February by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi, lays out a path to leverage the impressive capacity of the U.S. tech sec- tor to out-compete China on the develop- ment of AI, quantum, semiconductors, and other critical and emerging technologies. If confirmed, I will advance the Trump UN- CLASSIFIED -4- UNCLASSIFIED Adminis- tration’s AI Action Plan which will ensure the dominance of American AI technology in India and globally. Our technology coopera- tion will require significant energy resources, another area where the United States and India can work to- gether. If confirmed, I will work to increase American energy exports to India, establishing the United States as a leading supplier of crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas. Finally, India’s role in ensuring the stability and secu- rity of the region cannot be understated. A stable South Asia is in the interest of the U.S. and all nations. Under President Trump’s leadership, the U.S.-India partner- ship will define the 21st century. It is only by working together that we can make that aspiration a reality. If confirmed as Ambassador, I will work to ensure the United States remains a global leader while fostering a partnership that benefits both nations. I look forward to working with you to achieve these goals.. -Source: foreign.senate.gov By Testimony of Sergio Gor PHOTO:ScreenshotfromYouTube Sergio Gor, President Trump’s nominee for Ambassador to India, delivering his testimony at the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on September 11, 2025. US, India ‘Not That Far Apart’ On Tariffs, Says Trump’s India Nominee R epublican President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the U.S. ambassador to India said on Thurs- day, Sept. 11, 2025, thatWashington and New Delhi are “not that far apart” on tariffs. “We’re not that far apart on a deal on these tariffs,” Sergio Gor, a close Trump aide who is currently director of theWhite House Presidential Personnel Of- fice, said at his Senate confirmation hearing. “I do think it will get resolved in the next few weeks,” Gor said. U.S.-India ties have been strained by Trump’s trade war, with talks on lower tariff rates collapsing after India, the world’s fifth-largest economy, resisted opening its vast agricultural and dairy sectors. Bilateral trade be- tween the two countries is worth more than $190 billion each year. Trump first imposed additional tariffs of 25% on imports from India, then said they would double to 50% from August 27 as punishment for New Delhi’s increased purchases of Russian oil, asWashington works to end the war in Ukraine. Trump said on Tuesday his administration is continu- ing negotiations to address trade barriers with India and that he would talk to Modi, in a sign of a reset after weeks of diplomatic friction. Asked whether he would commit to pushing to ensure that a summit meeting of the Quad, which groups India with Australia, Japan and the United States, would take place as scheduled later this year, Gor said: “Without committing to exact dates … the president is fully committed to continue to meet with the Quad and strengthening it.” India has been expected to host a November Quad summit, with a more explicit focus on security regard- ing China than previously, but a person familiar with the matter told Reuters this month that Trump has yet to schedule a trip there. -Reuters Cover Story News India Times (September 13, 2025 - September 19, 2025) September 19, 2025 5 PHOTO:REUTERS/Craig Hudson/File Photo Director of White House Office of Presidential Personnel Sergio Gor poses on the red carpet during the 26th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 23, 2025. By Patricia Zengerle