Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday welcomed the long-awaited appointment of Sergio Gor as the United States Ambassador to India, calling it a positive step for bilateral ties.
Tharoor reacted to a post by Indian-origin venture capitalist Asha Jadeja Motwani, who highlighted the significance of Gor’s role, noting that the US President Donald Trump had chosen one of his closest confidants for the position.
Motwani suggested that Gor’s appointment could give India access to someone “in the inner circle” of the White House, capable of providing candid advice on pressing issues and decisions that require swift action. She emphasized that India’s communications with the US would need to be “crystal clear,” framing the moment as a unique opportunity to underscore the importance of the relationship between the two democracies.
Tharoor described Motwani’s observations as “interesting” and added, “In any case, it is good we will finally have a US Ambassador in place.” He also noted that confirmation of the Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia could provide a “more stable set of interlocutors” for India in the near future.
Positive Signals Amid Trade Tensions
On Friday, Trump officially appointed 38-year-old Gor, originally from Tashkent, as the US Ambassador to India and as Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Affairs. Gor, currently director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, is considered a trusted advisor to the President and reportedly maintains a direct line to the White House.
The move has been welcomed by Indian diplomats, especially amid recent tensions following the US-imposed tariffs on Indian goods. The tariffs, including a 25% increase, were implemented by Trump citing India’s purchase of Russian oil, straining trade relations between the two countries.
In his social media announcement, Trump praised Gor as a “great friend, who has been at my side for many years,” and expressed confidence in his ability to strengthen US-India relations. “I am pleased to announce that I am promoting Sergio Gor to be our next United States Ambassador to the Republic of India,” he wrote.
