Sergio Gor confirmation hearing on Thursday

TOI correspondent from Washington: US ambassador-designate to India Sergio Gor will appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday for a confirmation hearing, as the White House seeks to rush his posting to New Delhi to speed up trade talks and arrest the decline in ties.

Given the Republican majority in the committee and in the Senate, Gor is expected to sail through, although his knowledge of the region is likely to be tested by opposition Democrats. Gor, 38, will be the youngest US ambassador to India when confirmed. He has not previously demonstrated any interest in or knowledge of the region, but his nomination has been welcomed by New Delhi because of his perceived proximity to the President and the Trump White House, where he served as Director of Personnel.

“I welcome that President Trump is sending one of his most trusted aides, @SergioGor, to serve as the next US Ambassador to India. This move is viewed as a sign of the importance and priority of India-US ties, and a commitment to strengthen the bridges and deepen the bonds of friendship between our two countries,” India’s ambassador to the US, Vinay Kwatra, said.

The nomination and hearing have also been welcomed by business interests, given the delicate trade talks currently underway between the two countries. Acknowledging that recent challenges have strained the relationship, Mukesh Aghi of the US-India Partnership Forum (USIPF) said sending an envoy of Gor’s caliber after an eight-month vacancy in New Delhi “will help deepen cooperation and reaffirm America’s commitment to this partnership.”