US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor delivered a keynote address at the IX US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) Leadership Summit 2026, asserting that American corporate confidence in New Delhi has reached a historic high. He declared that the US government holds absolute confidence in India as a trusted, predictable strategic partner, directly addressing common investor anxieties regarding intellectual property (IP) protection and regulatory shifts.
Ambassador Addresses Investor Fears on IP and Regulations
Gor stated, "Not a week goes by where an American company comes to see me and they ask me, 'Ambassador, is it safe to invest in India? Will our IP be protected here? Or will the laws change next month? Is the tax system here safe? Or is someone gonna come and shake us down in six months?' And it's an incredibly gratifying thing to say that the United States trusts India, we work with India, and we look forward to identifying those next opportunities for both of our sides." He emphasized that his primary operational mandate since taking office has been accelerating high-level administrative exchanges between Washington and New Delhi, citing recent delegations led by the US Secretaries of Commerce and the Army.
Rubio's Maiden India Visit and Planned Return
Gor highlighted the recent tour of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his wife, Jeanette Dousdebes Rubio, from May 23-26. He noted that Rubio deliberately designed an itinerary blending deep strategic commitments—culminating in the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting—with cultural immersion. "Since I've gone there, we've also focused on bringing high-level visitors. And that included everyone from the Secretary of the Army to the Secretary of Commerce. And recently, I was very proud to have my dear friend, Marco Rubio, visit India for four days. And not only did he visit India, but he also went across India and to multiple places. So from Kolkata to Jaipur, Agra, Delhi, he had an incredible time," Gor said.
Anecdote from G7 Summit Reveals Personal Rapport
Gor shared an exclusive anecdote from the recent G7 Summit in France, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Donald Trump, and Secretary Rubio crossed paths. "The President and I were with Prime Minister Narendra Modi just last week in France at the G7, and Secretary Rubio was there. And the Prime Minister came over to the Secretary, and his first question was, 'How did you like Jaipur?' And the Secretary was amazed by the history, the colours, the beauty of these incredible places, and promised the Prime Minister that he's actually looking into coming back before the end of the year for another visit to India," Gor said.
Long-Term Geopolitical Projections and Insulation from Political Cycles
During a fireside discussion, Gor emphasized that the relationship is completely insulated from short-term political cycles due to structural, deeply embedded mutual interests. "The United States and India have so much in common that that is something that will sustain us for decades to come. With that said, we do see the opportunity that exists between our two nations. And as I mentioned, you pick the sector—AI, technology, aviation—no matter what it is, we have the potential to work together. And that's something I hope to build upon and set the stage for the next few decades," he said.
