Sergio Gor, US President Donald Trump’s nominee for the post of US Ambassador to India, has urged India to open its markets for American crude oil, petroleum products, and LNG.
His remarks come amid ongoing trade tensions between the two nations, triggered by Trump’s decision to impose 50% tariffs on Indian imports, partly citing India’s continued oil trade with Russia.
US Push to Expand Energy Trade with India
Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Gor struck an optimistic tone about India-US trade relations, emphasizing that “possibilities are endless” for collaboration in the energy sector.
“We fully intend in these trade talks that are ongoing to open Indian markets to our crude oil, petroleum products, and LNG,” Gor said.
He highlighted India’s growing middle-class population as a key reason why the US wants to expand its energy exports to India, adding that Washington sees “countless possibilities” to deepen economic ties.
Pressure on India to Cut Russian Oil Purchases
Gor also reiterated Trump’s stance that India must end its oil imports from Russia.
“President Trump has made it crystal clear that India must stop buying Russian oil,” Gor stated, while hinting that some of the existing trade frictions could soon be resolved.
This push aligns with Washington’s broader strategy to curb Moscow’s revenue streams amid its global confrontations, while simultaneously strengthening US-India strategic ties.
‘Deep Friendship’ Between Trump and Modi
Despite the trade disputes, Gor emphasized the personal rapport between President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“When the President has been critical of India, he goes out of his way to compliment Modi,” Gor observed.
He referred to Trump’s recent public remarks affirming that he would “always be friends” with PM Modi — a sentiment Modi echoed by praising Trump’s “positive assessment” of bilateral ties.
Strategic Priority: Pulling India Closer to US, Away from China
Gor also underlined Washington’s long-term goal of deepening India’s alignment with the US as a counterweight to Chinese influence in the region.
“Our relationship with the Indian government and the Indian people extends many more decades, and it’s a much warmer relationship than they have with the Chinese,” Gor told lawmakers.
He pledged to make it a “top priority” to ensure that India strengthens its engagement with the US rather than Beijing, while also crediting New Delhi for being more cooperative compared to some other BRICS nations seeking to move away from the US dollar.
