In a rare gesture, amidst ongoing efforts to repair the India-US relationship, PM Narendra Modi Saturday received US ambassador-designate Sergio Gor who delivered a message to him from President Donald Trump in the form of a framed photograph of their White House press conference earlier this year signed by the president as, “Mr. Prime Minister, you are great!”. Modi later said in a post on X he was glad to meet Gor. “I’m confident that his tenure will further strengthen the India–US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,” said Modi, who spoke to Trump for the second time in less than a month on Thursday. Gor responded by saying it was an honour to meet Modi, who is considered a “great and personal” friend by Trump, and the relationship with India will only strengthen over the months ahead. Gor’s engagements on Saturday – including with external affairs minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval and foreign secretary Vikram Misri – have raised hopes of an early conclusion of the trade talks as well as a summit level meeting. A diplomatic source said positive outcomes are in the works.
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Gor also said that in his “incredible” meeting with Modi, both sides discussed bilateral issues, including defence, trade, and technology. In the middle of a fresh US-China row over rare earths and critical minerals, he also discussed the importance of critical minerals and the “importance of that to both of our nations”. “The U.S. values its relationship with India, and under the strong leadership of President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Modi, I’m optimistic about the days ahead for both of our nations,” said Gor, adding he arrived from Washington in the morning and hit the ground running. It’s rare for the PM to meet an ambassador before the person has assumed office and the development suggests both sides might be within striking distance of a trade deal that could act as an antidote to the dramatic downturn in ties since May this year, if not earlier. The contentious negotiations for the agreement have threatened to undermine other aspects of the relationship. Modi had congratulated Trump on Thursday for the success of his Gaza peace plan, while also endorsing what he described as good progress in the negotiations and said the leaders agreed to being in close touch in the coming weeks. Whether or not that translates into a meeting on the margins of the Asean and East Asia summits in Malaysia later this month remains to be seen. Both leaders are expected to participate, but neither has officially confirmed it yet. Both sides seem keen on a bilateral meeting this year. The possibility of a Quad summit in the next few months is also not ruled out.
The ambassador’s appointment has been confirmed by the Senate but he’s currently in India only for a 6-day trip, apparently to familiarise himself with his new responsibility. He will take charge at a later date. After his meeting with Gor, Jaishankar said in a post on X later that he discussed the India-US relationship and its global significance and wished him the best for his new responsibility.Gor is travelling to India, accompanied by deputy secretary for management and resources Michael J Rigas. In his engagements, there was focus on expediting the trade negotiations and building upon the several major initiatives announced during Modi’s visit to Washington in February to further strengthen the relationship. That Trump chose to remind him about the meeting then in the form of the photograph is being viewed positively by India, even as the US shows no sign of lifting the additional 25 percent tariff on India for its oil purchase from Russia.
