Sergio Gor, the newly appointed United States Ambassador to India, said that the friendship between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “real” and outlined the strategic partnership between the two countries.

In his first public address after assuming charge, Gor emphasised the strong personal and strategic ties between the two nations, saying, “I’ve travelled all over the world with President Trump, and I can attest that his friendship with Prime Minister Modi is real. The United States and India are bound not just by shared interests but by a relationship anchored at the highest levels. Real friends can disagree, but they always resolve their differences."

Gor, who formally took over as Washington’s envoy on Monday, called India a vital strategic partner and underscored his mandate to deepen bilateral ties.

Gor also indicated a possible visit by President Donald Trump to India, recalling the President’s warm recollection of his last visit and his rapport with Prime Minister Modi.

“I hope the President will be visiting us soon, hopefully in the next year or two,” he said, adding with a touch of humour that Trump’s habit of making late-night phone calls might suit the India–US time difference.

Emphasising India’s centrality to Washington’s global strategy, Gor said, “No partner is more essential than India,” and outlined an ambitious agenda for the two countries as “true strategic partners," bringing strength, leadership, and mutual respect to the table.

Describing the partnership as one between the world’s oldest democracy and the world’s largest, he said his goal was to take the relationship “to the next level" across multiple domains.

“Our Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has said this will be a year of reciprocity—with fair trade, mutual respect, and shared security. On the ongoing trade deal negotiations, both sides continue to actively engage, and the next call will take place tomorrow. While trade is important, we will also continue working closely on key areas such as security and counter-terrorism,” Gor said, highlighting Washington’s determination to conclude a long-pending trade agreement with New Delhi.

Touching on strategic cooperation, the ambassador spoke of the US-led initiative Pax Silica, describing it as a framework spanning critical minerals to advanced manufacturing, and announced that India will be invited to join the grouping.