The proverb “Delhi is still far away” is well known in India, but does it apply to the United States as well? This question arises because it took nearly seven months for the American ambassador to reach New Delhi after his appointment was announced. Now that he has finally arrived, one wonders whether the saying “better late than never” will hold true. Can the new ambassador, Sergio Gor, help restore warmth to India–US relations?
While delays in appointing a US ambassador to India are not unprecedented, this instance is particularly significant. Relations that were once friendly have shown signs of strain, and the United States is facing a growing trust deficit with India.
From January 2021, when Kenneth Juster stepped down as ambassador, until Eric Garcetti took charge in April 2023, India went without a US ambassador for more than two years. The reasons behind this prolonged gap were complex. Although President Joe Biden had nominated Eric Garcetti, multiple allegations were raised against him, and the subsequent investigations caused long delays. Garcetti eventually arrived in New Delhi, but questions remained—why couldn’t another diplomat have been appointed in the interim?
At the time, US Senator Mark Warner openly questioned the situation, pointing out the contradiction between Washington’s stated desire to strengthen ties with India and its inability to appoint an ambassador. Many interpreted the delay as a signal that the Biden administration did not place sufficient importance on India’s strategic role. Garcetti’s tenure ultimately ended in May 2025, leaving behind lingering questions about the future direction of India–US relations.
President Donald Trump appointed his trusted confidant, Sergio Gor, as the US Ambassador to India, but even he took nearly seven months to assume office, while ambassadors had already been appointed to several countries, including China, by December 2024. The question of this delay remains. Furthermore, Sergio Gor has also been given the responsibility of Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs, meaning his role will be very important. However, the question is, how effectively will he be able to advocate for a fair relationship with India amidst these responsibilities? Upon assuming office in India, he expressed the view that improving US-India relations would be his top priority, and I am hopeful because he is a person with a direct connection to Donald Trump.
He is considered one of the most powerful figures in Team Trump. Trump himself has mentioned his relationship with the Trump family on social media and showered him with praise. Gor is also friends with Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., so there is no harm in believing that he will convince Trump that it will be impossible for the US to rein in China without a strong and positive relationship with India in this region. For other global reasons as well, India can be a reliable partner for the US. In fact, this very thinking has guided US-India relations for the past ten years, but currently, the relationship seems to have gone off track, so the task is quite challenging.
However, I am confident that he will succeed because he possesses the art of making the impossible possible. He understands Indian culture well. He knows that India is a country that values friendship and how India supported Trump in his election. The soft-spoken Sergio Gor understands that relations and trade between the two countries should flourish. There should be goodwill among the people. One thing is certain: the first duty of any country’s ambassador is to prioritize their own country’s interests. Sergio Gor is a staunch follower of the “America First” policy. When Trump talked about acquiring Greenland, and shortly afterward his son Donald Trump Jr. visited Greenland, Sergio was with him.
I am giving this example so that you can understand that even while sitting in New Delhi, Sergio’s heart will still beat for America, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, if he wants to succeed in the responsibility he has to improve relations, he will also have to understand India’s needs. People in India are asking: did we receive a positive response from the America we trusted and with whom we tried to improve relations? Why is America still siding with Pakistan? Russia is selling oil to China, Europe is buying gas, and America itself is buying uranium; then why is India the only one facing tariff attacks?
Now, there are threats of a 500 percent tariff. Does America want to control the world’s most populous country through intimidation? Sergio Gor will have to find answers to all these questions and present India’s perspective to Trump; only then will he be able to succeed in his efforts to sweeten the relationship. India wishes him well.
