NEW DELHI: US ambassador Sergio Gor said Friday that no partnership is better placed than India and the United States to work together on critical and emerging technologies that are reshaping the global balance of power.
Ambassador Highlights India's Importance
Speaking days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit, which aimed at addressing any rupture in ties—although Rubio maintained the relationship was already on a solid footing—Gor stated that the Trump administration had identified new centers of power and believes that "the importance of India is now."
Space Partnership and Counterbalance to China
Gor also spoke about the "dynamic" US-India space partnership, stressing that it addresses emerging threats, advances the peaceful use of space, provides a "counterbalance to China's influence," and drives technological innovation and economic growth.
Trade Deal Expected Soon
The ambassador reiterated that the trade deal under discussion would be signed in the "coming weeks and months" as the two sides are currently working to finalize the remaining "1%" of the agreement. Gor confirmed that a US delegation will visit India next week to continue those talks. "We fully expect that the trade deal will be signed over the next few weeks and months," said the ambassador, speaking at IIT Delhi on the India-US TRUST (Transforming the Relationship Utilising Strategic Technology) initiative.
He noted that the US is one of India's largest trading partners, and India is among the top trading partners of the US. This growth is increasingly driven by innovation, investment, and high-value sectors, from digital trade and advanced manufacturing to energy and emerging technologies, linking not just large corporations but also startups and entrepreneurs.
Defining Moment for Global Power Balance
"We have gathered at a defining moment. One where critical and emerging technologies are fundamentally reshaping the global balance of power," said Gor, emphasizing the strategic importance of the partnership.
