Sergio Gor formally assumed charge as US Ambassador to India on Jan 12
He confirmed that a critical follow-up trade call is scheduled for Tuesday
India will be invited next month to join Pax Silica
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor assumed office in New Delhi on Monday and underscored continuity in bilateral engagement, saying India and the United States remain in active contact on trade and are expected to hold a near-term follow-up discussion, potentially as early as Tuesday. In his first public remarks, Gor said negotiations had not stalled despite differences, adding that “real friends can disagree, but resolve the difference,” and framed trade talks as one part of a broader partnership spanning security, counter-terrorism, energy, technology, education and health.
“Real friends can disagree, but resolve the difference,” Gor said, framing today’s negotiations as part of a durable partnership between what he described as “the world’s oldest and largest democracies.” He added that trade talks are only one strand of a wide agenda that includes security, counter-terrorism, energy, technology, education and health.
1 January 2026
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India Invited to Pax Silica
Gor also said India will be invited next month to join Pax Silica, a US-led initiative aimed at building resilient supply chains for silicon and critical minerals used in semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and AI. The grouping currently includes Japan, South Korea, the UK and Israel. According to Gor, India’s inclusion would deepen cooperation on chips, critical minerals, logistics and energy inputs at a time when countries are trying to reduce strategic dependence on vulnerable supply chains.
He described the invitation as timely amid growing global concern over the geopolitical use of industrial and technology links. “As the world adopts new technology, it is essential that India and the United States work hand in hand from the very start of this initiative,” Gor said, calling the India-US relationship “one of the most consequential global partnerships of this century.”
Near-Term Diplomacy
Emphasising reciprocity and dialogue, Gor said negotiators would stay in close touch and thanked US President Donald Trump for backing stronger ties, describing the relationship between Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as genuine.
He said progress on trade and India’s prospective entry into Pax Silica would be closely watched, given their implications for market access, tariffs and deeper strategic alignment on technologies that underpin AI and advanced manufacturing.
