New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS) The newly-appointed US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, is headed to India for a week-long visit starting October 9, informed the US Embassy and Consulates on Friday.

The US Ambassador to India will be accompanied by Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael J. Rigas. Both are travelling to India from October 9 to October 14, the US Embassy had informed.

This is US envoy’s first visit to India after being appointed as the next Ambassador to India. Thirty-eight-year-old Gor is also the youngest US ambassador to India. He is one of the closest aides of US President Donald Trump and was the Director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, entrusted with vetting more than 4,000 posts in the new Trump administration.

During the visit, the Ambassador Gor and Deputy Secretary Rigas will meet with Indian government counterparts to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues.

“The United States will continue to work with India to strengthen our strategic partnership and promote a safer, stronger, and more prosperous Indo-Pacific region,” the embassy said in a statement.

Gor’s visit holds significance as he is considered a close aide of US President Donald Trump and has also spoken ‘favourably’ for India over the contentious trade tariffs.

Last month, he told newspersons that the Trump administration had invited an Indian delegation to visit Washington and the two sides were close to a deal.

He has also advocated for strengthening defence ties with India, in the past.

Highlighted India’s demographic dividend, Gor had said that India’s population of 1.4 billion people and “its rapidly growing middle class” offer “immense opportunities for America, from artificial intelligence to pharmaceuticals to critical minerals, the potential for collaboration is vast”.

Last month, the then Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor held discussions with commerce minister Goyal and US trade representative Jamieson Greer, during trade talks in New York but talks on reducing US tariffs or waiving 25 per cent penalty did not proceed because of the ongoing US government shutdown.

–IANS

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