Sergio Gor, US President Donald Trump’s nominee for Ambassador to India, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the President remains “fully committed” to the QUAD grouping and sees India as a critical partner in the Indo-Pacific.
At his confirmation hearing on Thursday, Gor stressed the importance of QUAD—comprising India, the US, Japan, and Australia—as a cornerstone for regional stability. “The President is fully committed to continuing to meet with the Quad and strengthening it,” he said, highlighting recent high-level engagements and upcoming talks about a possible presidential trip for the next summit.
On joint defence cooperation, Gor pointed to expanding military exercises. “Just last week, 500 Indian troops trained with our troops in Alaska. That’s a great thing… despite the little hiccup we’ve had over tariffs, our relationship is much stronger and built on decades of trust,” he noted.
Gor also addressed India’s purchase of Russian oil, echoing Trump’s position. “President Trump has made it crystal clear that they must stop buying Russian oil… tariffs only work if our partners are on the same page. We intend on fixing that,” he said.
Describing India as a “vital counterweight to communist China,” Gor underlined its role within BRICS, noting that New Delhi often acts as a balancing force. “India has been the stopgap against moves to de-dollarise. They are more open to engagement with us than some of the others in BRICS,” he told lawmakers.
The remarks come against the backdrop of recent strains over tariffs and Trump’s sharp comments following the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, which saw India, Russia, and China come together.
Meanwhile, BRICS leaders at their recent virtual summit had reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and reform of global institutions, with Brazil’s President Lula calling for a “more just, balanced, and inclusive international order” responsive to Global South priorities.
