New Delhi

US Ambassador Sergio Gor on Wednesday said he was looking forward to working closely with New Delhi to advance shared priorities in defence, trade, technology and critical minerals, as he presented his credentials to President Droupadi Murmu.

Gor, the 27th US ambassador to India, said it was an honour to serve in India “at a time of such promise and opportunity in the US-India relationship”.

He made the remarks after presenting his credentials at an official ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, along with the envoys of Austria and Trinidad and Tobago.

“I look forward to working closely with the Government of India and the Indian people to advance our shared priorities in defence, trade, technology and critical minerals, and to further strengthen the partnership between our two great democracies,” he said.

Before assuming charge in New Delhi, Gor, 38, served as Assistant to the US President and Director of Presidential Personnel at the White House.

He arrived in India on January 9, at a time when bilateral ties are under strain following the US decision to raise tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, including an additional 25 per cent duty linked to India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.

Relations have also been impacted by other contentious issues, including US President Donald Trump’s claim of having helped end the India-Pakistan conflict in May last year and changes in Washington’s immigration policy.

Addressing staff at the US Embassy earlier this week, Gor described India as an indispensable partner for the United States.

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“No partner is more essential than India,” he said, adding that the two countries have a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to redefine diplomacy and build one of the most consequential global partnerships of the century.